The Maiden Called Hero or Monster - Chapter 8 - There is no Decision in this World without Regret

    ──The next day.

    At the labyrinth square, Java and Clamp called out to the hero and the others. Other young adventurers who had also been stopped not long ago turned back with confused faces. It seemed that along with the hero and co, they were stopping everyone who passed their line of sight.

    "What do you want? I’m not accepting invites to any shady cults. I don't believe in those kinds of things."

    "I'm afraid not. And there's nothing shady about the religion of the stars. Anyway, ask Java for the details."

    "Aha, shady’s a great descriptor. Alright, you might not need it, but it's just some advice. Stay away from the middle levels of the labyrinth for the next few days. But make sure you go nowhere near the fiftieth-floor in particular."

    Java's face turned serious as he warned them with a heavy voice.

    "Isn’t the Orc Banquet still some time aways?"

    Lulurile tilted her head in question, and Clamp responded.

    "It seems like they are putting a lot more effort into preparations this year. We just got word last night that half of a hunting party in the middle levels were killed."

    "A banquet requires extravagant food, and their favorite food happens to be us humans. I feel sorry for anyone who’s gotten caught, but I’m sure the orcs’ll find them delicious after grounding them into minced meat."

    "So, you guys are here to tell everyone about that?"

    When the hero asked to confirm, they both nodded their heads. She thought they were just bored but she kept this to herself. Her character was not so rotten as to make fun of others gestures of goodwill. Edel next-door however...

    "You guys really have nothing better to do, huh?"

    Edel muttered.

    This one was a rotten character.

    "I'm not worried about those who are experienced enough to make their own sound judgments. But you know, it would be unbearable to see young, clueless kids ending up as pig fodder, wouldn't that be a pity? Just imagining the squeals of those pigs having a good time makes me sick. That's why I'm here making some noise with this saint here."

    "Greats acts are made up of small deeds. If you continue on like this Java, you will die a good death. I can assure you of that."

   "Heh, your monastic endorsement makes me want to cry. Well, you guys' best be careful. If you go knowing what you’re doing, then fine by me. Now's the only time you can go after the golden flower, the orc flower."

    With a wide yawn, Java laid down in the labyrinth square grass. He had a good nature in spite of his crooked physiognomy. Some time ago, he acted as the guide for a group of young aristocrats. Many lives have been saved by this veteran warrior.

    "Hmm, what do you think, Matari? We can go back a few levels and hunt for a while, or do you want to challenge yourself and kill some piggy bastards? I don't care either way."

    "Umm, let’s see. Orcs are even more ferocious and dangerous than usual, right?"

    "It is as if one poured oil onto a fire."

    Lulurile quickly interjected.

    "I don't like fighting them this time of year. Orcs throw themselves at anything without fearing death, so we’re not a good match. But, if you guys can protect me, I'll come along."

    Edel lazily murmured, but the hero decided to ignore her. Even if the orcs rushed in, she would just use her corpses as a shield. And if they happened to pin her, she would simply make them explode. Edel was not the kind of person to go down quietly.

    "Then, let's hunt in the same place as yesterday. There's no need to push ourselves!"

    When Matari declared clearly, Java, who had been listening, applauded and praised her.

    "Great! You really are a remarkable young lady. What should I have expected from the girl Rob's been eyeing....... On the flipside, you have that dumbass Excel."

    Java's face turned over into one of bitterness.

    "Excel? Oh, that breeding-horse bastard. Did something happen?"

    The hero remembered the face of that unpleasant man. He was the smooth-tongued bastard that laid his hands on those three women. He was apparently a very skilled swordsman, but one wrong move, none of that would matter -- he would die. For some reason, with a smile on his face, he was getting overly friendly with the hero. Obviously, this did not leave a good impression.

    "It was this morning when I met with Excel and told him about the Orc Banquet. He was so happy to invite some friends along, and in the blink of an eye, about a hundred people turned up here. Hoodlums, runaways, bandits, and some who even seemed to be ill, all transferred out in a rush. I tried to stop him several times, but he just wouldn't listen to me."

    Java plucked some grass and threw it away.

    "It's important to listen to the advice of others earnestly. I'm guessing they are going after the orc flower. Last year, everyone returned safely and got rich. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it will go well this year as well. People always get careless when they are in a group. I just hope that it doesn’t kill them."

    "Well, I can understand how they feel. Even your everyday hunting is dangerous. I get they’re thinking, just have one big adventure now and quickly retire. But it would be too late if they became food for pigs. And I don't believe any of those idiots are prepared for that reality. They probably think this is some deliciously clever get-rich-quick-scheme."

    Java clicked his tongue in frustration. This man must really be worried about the youth, going out of his way for nothing in return. The hero smiled bitterly at the thought that this guy was a real sucker for this sort of thing.

    "Maybe you are suited for a job teaching others. You're too kind for your own good."

    "Haha, give me a break. I just happen to talk just pompously enough."

    "Anyway, please be careful. According to the survivors of the nearly wiped-out squad, they saw a new kind of orc."

    "A new species? That sounds fascinating. If you don't mind──"

    The hero grabbed Lulurile by the scruff of her neck. At this rate, the conversation would never end.

    "Alright, you can talk about it another time. Look, it looks like new prey just showed up."

    "Heh, guess so. Well, it’s time to start the next sermon."

    When the hero pointed to adventurers coming towards the square, looking troubled, Java got up and walked towards them. With Clamp following after him languidly.

    "A new kind of orc, huh? I wonder if I could sell its corpse for a high price if I brought it back."

    "I would love to see it. I’d like to perform an autopsy and assort my findings in a pictorial book."

    "New species or not, I don’t want to drag around a dead pig. It’ll stink too."

    "It would make a great meat shield. And with its rarity I'm sure it will garnish a lot of attention."

    "You rare bunch are already enough. I really don't want to put up with anymore."

    A reckless berserker, a perverted pink necromancer, a sophistic scholar who hates sorcerers. The hero did not want any more weirdos assimilated into their group. But she was afraid it was already too late.

    "I'd like to object. No matter how you look at it, I’m normal. But I'm not sure about Edel."

    "I'm normal too. And besides, you're quite rare yourself, our cheeky little hero-girl."

    Edel looked down on her with a grin while wriggling her hands. The hero tried to fight back, but before she could, Matari intervened. She could see that they were not going to get anywhere like this.

    "Please, stop it, both of you! We should get going!"

    "I agree. As the ancients have said, time is money."

    "Alright, alright, it can wait. Let's hurry up and get to picking the weeds."

    "The only person who would say something like that when referring to killing demonic plants in the labyrinth is our hero-girl."

    ──At the same time…

    On the fiftieth floor, where Java had warned them not to approach, a group of people were engaged in a desperate battle with a horde of orcs. It was a detachment of about a hundred adventurers that banded together all for the purpose of collecting orc flowers. People from all walks of life joined this party for money.

    

    The strategy for the operation was simple and straightforward: Transfer to the fiftieth floor just before the orc’s nest, launch a surprise raid, and seize the orc flowers. Their idea was to deploy a smokescreen against the orcs then quickly withdraw.

    When the cabal was formed, the members were told of last year's surprise raid and how they successfully made it out without a single casualty, so not a single adventurer amongst them doubted that they would succeed this time as well. But of course, no deal too good to be true can be so. There is a story behind the success of the last raid. It had nothing to do with something as conveniently as deploying smokescreens against the orcs. Decoys, several adventurers were chosen as bait and forced to rush in with smoke bombs, while those who had already made arrangements beforehand would advance in afterward. Though in actuality, once they arrived, they took advantage of the turmoil and stole the flowers, naturally leaving the decoys for dead. This time, the previous year's survivors had planned to send out an even larger number of decoys so they could collect every last flower in the nest. Even if they found out they had been set up, it would not matter. By then, they will have already fled the city.

    However, this time, the goddess of fortune was not smiling upon them. The orcs were even more well-guarded than they were anticipating. The orcs learned from their previous failure, placing scouts throughout the entirety of the fiftieth floor. The strongest of their elites were gathered in the orc flower fields to deter intruders, with the mutated red orc stationed there as well. In addition, there was a human hunting party, which served as a means of gathering food for the banquet; and as the banquet this year was particularly large, the hunting party was proportionally as large, growing to be the size of a small troop. 

    Their range was not only limited to the fiftieth floor either, but they also moved to other floors in search of prey. Even the elite orcs who ordinarily defended their home, formed their own hunting parties to partake in the hunt for humans. These well-organized militias were a force even the most seasoned adventurers would struggle against. As they roamed the labyrinth with the sole purpose of hunting humans, they were obviously extremely dangerous. It became an unwritten rule to never trespass into orc territory with the banquet was near, be it before or just after. Hence, why Java and Clamp persistently warned young adventurers, urging them to exercise restraint for a while. But retribution was soon to come for the brave adventurers who ignored Java’s advice.

    The deceived adventurers were positioned directly in front of the orc soldiers that stood guard in front of their nest. The plan was to regroup with the others, assume formation, and from there, begin the operation. But suddenly, they were surrounded by orcs, and the adventurers plunged into a state of panic. The awaiting orcs were equally as confused, but they quickly began to attack at the behest of their commander. Orcs normally are nothing so frightening. If one can maintain a level-head, they can easily be defeated. But not at a time before the banquet, as they become even more ferocious and formidable enemies. 

    The Banquet of the Orcs was held only once a year and served as an important ceremony to honor the spirits of their ancestors. For one week prior to the event, orcs must abstain from eating and intercourse to show their faith to the ancestral spirits – only water and the roots of the orc flowers were allowed to be consumed. This acetic lifestyle pushed the orcs' ferocity to the limit. On top of last year's failure, coupled with the fact that they were again going to be attacked, the orcs were driven half insane with rage.

    On the other hand, after the decoys had been sent in as planned, last year's victors took advantage of the time lag and moved into the orcs’ nest. Smokescreens were scattered around the area, and vanishing into the smoke, they smoothly progressed forward with their figure concealed. The orc guards choked on the smoke, coughing violently, they were left unable to respond. With the opening before them, they quickly moved into the field of white flowers and quickly began tearing them out the ground. Roughly snapping the stems, they shoved the folded flowers into their bags.

    ──But then, a red blade flashed, and chunks of meat along with fresh blood rained down onto the white flowers. A man had been ripped apart from behind with a single vertical slash. He died without even being able to let out a cry.

    "W-What?"

    "It's a new breed, a new kind of orc!"

    "Foolish humans! Through my rage, you will feel the wrath of our ancestors!!"

    A huge red orc swung its crimson red sword, tearing three people nearby into pieces. Grabbing the head of a petrified adventurer and putting strength into his palm, crushed their head. The orcs around him raised a roar along with their weapons into the air. Although these adventurers succeeded last time and made it big, and without any time to regret their carelessness, they met a miserable end, and their remains were torn apart by the orcs and cast into a reservoir of filth. With no chance to regret their carelessness

    The other adventurers who were used as decoys were also in a dire predicament. They were a ragtag group randomly tossed together to begin with and had no sense of camaraderie whatsoever. They had only been briefed on their simple plan; ambush the nest, deploy a smokescreen against the orcs, and escape with the stolen flowers. There was no way such a group could work cohesively. Still, nevertheless, each of them fought back; forming a crude ring of desperate resistance, they looked for an opportunity to escape using their transfer stones. It was only natural for them to be so desperate. If they could buy the mere ten seconds it took to transfer, they could make it out alive.

    However, a new species of orc, the red orc, intervened. This was where their struggle would end. The red orc crushed the adventures with a single blow, and their circle immediately fell apart, and the ousted adventurers met a bloody end. It wouldn’t be wrong to describe the scene as a blood bath. Deciding that they were completely dominant, the orc commander changed their methodology to capturing the humans alive. 

    The adventurers were mutilated without inflicting any mortal wounds and were captured alive. Indiscriminately, the legs of men and women alike were broken, their transfer stones removed, any armaments confiscated, and were stripped bare. After rope was tied around their wrists, they were dragged along like livestock. Only despair dwelled in the eyes of the adventurers now, and some began to pale as they imagined their own deaths. Others who tried to cry were forcibly silenced by the orcs’ fists. As the orcs were already agitated from their abstinence, they wouldn't hesitate to kill any of their livestock.

    Among these unfortunate souls were members of the Swordsmen Guild. They sought after fortune and fame to bring their guild back to a semblance of its former glory. Now this dream would never come to fruition, and their pride as swordsmen crumbled to the ground. Others were earnest youths from an orphanage, and in order to raise funds for the continued operation of the orphanage, put their lives on the line and joined this raiding party. And among them was Excel. His self-confidence had completely shattered, and only now was he regretting his negligence. As if to escape the eyes of the orcs, he tried to crawl to the back of the cage.

    "N-No. I d-don't want to die in a place like this. S-Someone, help me, please save me!"

    His head was no longer filled with the thoughts of his loved ones nor his unborn children. People caught in the hunt for humans would be kept alive in the orc nest for some time, and to keep them in a fresh state, the orcs provided them with food. Orcs, who were often looked down on as pigs, gave them food so crude, it could only be described as pig food. But even so, the captives eagerly devoured it, scrambling and fighting amongst each other for swine food. The orcs looked on in amusement and laughed derisively. They would live out their days as livestock until the day of the banquet, where they would be eaten by orcs.

    The orcs desperately fought back against their desires, as this act of abstinence was the embodiment of their faith. But at the sight of their favorite food, humans, lying bare and vulnerable before them, they desperately struggled to endure their impulses. Then, on the day of the banquet, the orcs would allow their pent-up desires to run rampant, and be completely overwhelming their instincts. Men would be devoured alive, and women would follow, but only after being used as playthings.

    Not only would their human dignity be shattered, but their bodies would be stripped of their flesh with their bones on display around their territory as example. It truly was tragic. As the brave adventurers could do nothing but wait until the day they are eaten alive – the reward for their recklessness.

 

 

     ──There are two days left until the banquet.

    Dusk was soon approaching, and the guild masters were urgently summoned to the Star Tower's conference room. Pope Elena had issued the order to hold this extraordinary meeting. Today the masters of each guild were in attendance, with the exception of Ramsey. And also in attendance was Bishop Nikarag, General Inquisitor Ikona, and Timor, leader of the church's elite army, La Florencia. Nobody dared to speak through the heavy atmosphere. Unlike their regular meetings, the air in the conference room was strange. And the first to break the tension was Pope Elena.

    "The reason for this congregation today is quite peculiar. A troubling situation has developed."

     Elena eyed those present, and spoke in a heavy tone.

    "We have received word that nearly a hundred adventurers went missing in orc territory. However, I am sure as guild masters, you are already aware of the situation."

    "Are you talking about the orc flower hunting party? Unfortunately, most of them are probably from my guild. Those idiots were blinded by greed. I guess that means I didn't teach them well enough." 

    Rob crossed his arms and clicked his tongue, saying, "Well, this is about what I expected."

    

    Dozens of members of the Warriors Guild went into the labyrinth, only to not return. And he already received word that Excel was among those who went missing.

    "My beautiful children, whom I’ve carefully nurtured over the years. They were the talented young men and women of the next generation meant to carry the guilds into the future. And just like that, they've been reaped in an instant. Fate is truly fleeting."

    The Sorcerers Guild's master lamented in an acted tone.

    With her silver hair that was tied into a bun, she wore an overly revealing sorcerer outfit, and various tattoos adorned her white skin. Despite appearing to be a young and mysterious woman, no one knew her real age. Even after the past few decades, her appearance hadn't changed at all. It is even rumored she may actually be a demon in disguise. It wouldn't be surprising if she were branded a heretic, but due to her great contributions to the Star Church, she has been left alone.

    "Even if it is their own faults, isn't the loss of sorcerers too great? The time and effort required to train them would be far less than that of a warrior."

    "All you have to do is plant new seeds and grow them up again. That's my job."

    She had a faint smile on his face. She did not seem to be concerned about dead flowers.

    "To just jump right into the orc nest by themselves. Young people these days really are bold."

    Hearing the words of the old guild master of the Scholars Guild, the other guild masters nodded in agreement.

    "...... So. We have received urgent requests from families of those missing in hopes that we would rescue them."

    At Elena's words, everyone in the room raised an uproar. It was very unusual for the Pope to say something like this, as the church has never before sent a rescue team for mere adventurers.

    "So you want us to go save those dumbasses? I thought the church wasn’t supposed to involve themselves with labyrinth affairs."

    

    Elena nodded at Rob's point.

    "That is correct. The ongoings of the labyrinth have nothing to do with the church. We cannot come to the rescue every time someone goes missing. I know it sounds harsh, but that is the way it has always been. It is an unwritten rule."

    "Then what are we here for? Please don't say we're here to pray for the souls of those poor adventurers. It might not seem like it, but I'm a busy woman."

    

    When Klau jokingly said so, Ikona gave her a bitter glance. He was aware of the close relationship between Klau and Elena, but to Ikona, it seemed she was breaching etiquette. But Elena continued to talk without paying it any mind. As of right now, what she had to say was more important than saving face.

    "Of course, we have not gathered for such a reason. According to the report, there is a son of a powerful aristocrat from a particular nation among the missing. I have received a request from them to rescue him at any cost. Abandoning them without action could lead to a diplomatic conflict.”

    "That's ridiculous. Why should any of us risk our lives to save some noble? I'm sorry, but I refuse."

    "I agree with your sentiments... But, this is not a request. It is an order, Guildmaster Rob. If you do not like it, you can step down from your position right now. I am sorry, but there are plenty of people who can take your place."

    "──Tch."

    At Elena's quiet threat, Rob's face contorted and clicked his tongue.

    "...... Even if you want us to rescue them, orcs before the banquet are extremely dangerous. If we go in, we’re going to need a considerably powerful fighting force. And there's no guarantee the target is even alive."

    Nikarag's brow creased in concern.

    If they seriously wanted to save him, they would need to mobilize a great number of skilled fighters. Capturing an orc nest was tantamount to taking down a fortress. It was not going to be as simple as sending a small group to sneak in and rescue the captive.

    

    "Of course, I am well aware. But what is important is that we do not abandon them and fully utilize our forces against them. Do you understand?...... I will leave any decisions regarding the operation entirely to your discretion on the battlefield. I need you to lend us your strength."

    "I see. There should be no problem then. It doesn't matter who makes it in, just as long as we can make it back. I'll send my own to join the fighting force. We're gonna need all the help we can get."

    Rob's mood had become complicated at the thought of Excel, but in spite of that, he nodded in agreement.

    "Timor, are you ready for sortie?"

    "Preparations are hard underway as we speak. We should be ready to depart by tomorrow morning. We've selected the most elite soldiers from both the Inquisition and La Florencia. They should be ready to handle any contingencies."

    "Very well. Now, each guild will need to contribute and send any members they deem fit to join the assault. The rescue operation will begin tomorrow morning. La Florencia and the guilds' selected forces will make their way to the orc nest, confirm whether the captive is dead or alive, and retreat. And if our target happens to be dead, there will be no need to take any risks."

    

    Elena gave an overview of the operation.

    They were to head to the nest, confirm whether or not the banquet had begun, then retreat immediately if so. They had no intention of rescuing the detained sacrifices; however, they could save face by saying they had sent their forces against the orcs. This would increase their reputation with the other party, allowing them to demand a reciprocal favor from them in the future if needed. The guild masters unanimously agreed that it did not matter if the target was alive or not. With this approach, they could avoid any unnecessary casualties.

    "I must remind you that there is no need to overdo it. Act with your own lives first. The decision as to when to retreat will be left to your discretion on the battlefield as well. I apologize for troubling you, but I am counting on you all."

    Elena bowed her head. Their plan of attack was quickly agreed upon, and the meeting quickly concluded.

    ── The battle strategy is as follows

    The rescue operation would take place tomorrow morning. La Florencia and the guilds selected forces will transfer to the fiftieth floor using transfer stones. Once the rangers disguised as orcs confirm whether the captive adventurers were dead or alive, the main force would begin to move in. Their objective was quite clear: destroy the orcs and rescue the target. However, if the rescue target is confirmed to be dead, they would promptly withdraw as soon as possible – safe and unscathed.

    

    ──After exterminating the demonic plants, the hero and the others returned from the labyrinth. Matari was not so exhausted today as she had not fought to her limit as usual. So immediately after returning to the Paradise Pavilion, the four of them ordered large quantities of alcohol and food at the expense of their earnings, but nevertheless, they were all very excited to have some fun. Although they were very boisterous, they paid well, so the master tolerated it. The master told them that the party of the hero had become something of a feature of the Paradise Pavilion, so no one bothered to complain about them anymore.

    "Phua! I feel like I'm making money just for this one drink! Delicious!"

    The hero drained her mug of alcohol and slammed it down onto the table with gusto. The sensation of a chilled liquid moisturizing the throat was most refreshing.

    "You smell like an old man hero-girl. Be a little more modest. You're a woman, after all."

    "Shut up. I'm not bothering anyone, so it's fine."

    "You're not a very strong drinker, so don't push yourself, or you'll get another hangover. Then once you wake up, you'll suffer the consequences!"

    "It’s said that, 'hindsight is twenty-twenty.' And it’s also said to, 'drink in moderation."

    "Don’t sweat the details, so drink your fill too!"

    The hero poured more alcohol into Lulurile's glass.

    Matari, acting as the adult, tried warning her in a sterner voice, but the hero had no ears to hear. In fact, both of them had about the same level of tolerance to alcohol. So when the hero fell, Matari would likely follow. Edel and Lulurile were always the last ones left. It seems that bad character is proportional to the strength of one’s alcohol tolerance.

    "Oh, right, hero-girl. About the house. Now that we’ve settled on a deal, we should be able to move in soon."

    "...... Are we really moving into that haunted house after all?"

    Matari was not at all enthusiastic about the thought.

    "Obviously. None of the other houses looked that good. If you don't like it, then invite us to your house."

    The house she was referring to was the Arte family's mansion. The hero had never seen it herself, but she heard it was quite large. Though she was disowned, so there was no way for her to go back.

    "...... Um. That’s not really possible."

    "Matari. Ghosts are nothing more than illusions created by your own fear. You should calm down and clear your mind of such mundane thoughts."

    "That's not true! There's definitely something in that house, with a grudge! M-Maybe it's some kind of terrifying death god. You'll know when you see it, Lulurile!"

    "I'm looking forward to it. I'm not averse to this kind of talk. If a ghost or death god appears, I'll be sure to carefully observe it."

    Only Lulurile would want to observe a death good up close and personal. She was a frightening woman with round-framed glasses. On that note, if something like that appeared in front of the hero, she would crush it immediately.

    "Am I the only one who's not okay with this?....... Needless to say, Edel is fine with it."

    "Well, I am a necromancer. Speaking of which, how are ghosts and necromancers so different? I don't understand."

    Edel's mouth twisted into a grin. In contrast, Matari was depressed, and Lulurile seemed happy as her glasses shone in the light. With how many openings she had, the two rotten characters would surely try to scare Matari. There was no telling what kind of traps they set for her.

    "...... Because it's a ghost? Oh, what if it comes out while we're sleeping?"

    "Why should I be afraid of ghosts when we fight demons every day? A moving skeleton would be much creepier. Anyway, here’s to celebrating our escape from the birdcage! Cheers!"

    "Cheers!"

    The hero took the lead, and each of their glasses clinked in celebration of something not so significant. The Master's face twitched upon hearing them talk of his rooms as if they were cramped bird cages. But it was apparent there were too many people for the room they were renting.

    "... We’re already out. Pinky, could you go and order a bunch more drinks? Oh, and some more food too. As quick as you can please."

    "Don't talk gibberish while you’re falling asleep, little hero-girl. Go on, you can do it on your own."

    Edel smiled mischievously and poked the forehead of the hero. Her vision swung up and down, and combined with the drunkenness, it was nauseating

    "You old pink b──"

    As the hero stood up to fight back, food and alcohol were presented in front of her.

    "Thank you for waiting. Since you've always been so kind to me, this is on me. Don't hesitate to eat!"

    "Thanks a lot...... What are you doing?"

    "It sounded like you all were having fun, so I thought I’d join you. I'm off the clock, so please take care of the rest!"

    Limoncy, with a drink in hand, brazenly joined them. She even brought her own chair.

    Looking back at the master, he nodded with a tired face in understanding.

    "If you want to drink, why don't you go drink by yourself over there."

    "Don't be like that. I'm Edel's friend. So why don’t we share a drink together?"

    "...... Is that so?"

    "Just let it be for now. Well, I guess it's a sort of ill-fated relationship from way back."

    Edel muttered, and Limoncy laughed.

    "I’m really happy for you, Edel. You’ve got such a great group of friends."

    "I don't know if it's nice or not, but at least I'm never bored. I could spend a whole day watching these kids. Especially hero-girl, she's a must-see attraction."

    "I get it. She's like a cute little animal, isn't she? Like an adorable cheeky cat that wouldn't miss its owner."

    "And when she eats, she's just like a quiet squirrel. But she really is a little too cocky for her own good."

    "Hey."

    The hero interrupted them as they were freely saying whatever they wished. But the both of them continued drinking without a care in the world.

    "So, I found what you asked for, Edel. I had a hell of a time trying to find it, but it was well worth it. Fufu!"

    Limoncy smiled wryly and pulled out a rectangular object wrapped in cloth. It seemed like a picture frame, but the important part, the picture, was hidden.

    "Then you should've said so from the start. I wanted you all to see this. I'm sure Lulurile will jump for joy."

    The hero had a very bad feeling about this. Whenever Pinky says something like this, it is usually a bad sign. She didn't want any part of this, but her chance to escape had already passed.

    "So what lies beneath? I'm looking forward to seeing it."

    Limoncy pompously put her hand on the cloth. But she deliberately fueled interest, raising and lowering it like a curtain.

    "If you're gonna show it to me, then get on with it!"

    "Be patient. Now, it's time to show it off....... The hell is that?"

    As Limoncy was about to remove the cloth, she heard a commotion from the back of the tavern. It was coming from the reception desk.

    "Sorry. It seems like there's some trouble over at the reception desk. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait a moment. I don't want you opening it without permission."

    Limoncy took the painting and walked off at a brisk pace.

    The hero watched the noisy women leave in astonishment. Moreover, she did not even show the painting and was just teasing them. If she looked at it without permission, she probably would not shut up about it until she died.

    "Limoncy seems to be pretty busy with the restaurant thriving like it is. Since you've come around they've only gained more customers, so I'm sure she's happy."

    "Rumors of the hero have spread quite far. I'm very proud of that."

    Lulurile for some reason felt elated, her round framed glasses shone meaninglessly.

    

    The hero felt like leaving her fingerprints on her glasses, but unlike Matari, Lulurile left no openings.

    "I'm not some kind of attraction. Ah, if you don't want it, give it to me.”

    The hero took a hunk of meat from the platter, while Matari resolutely took a bite out of the meat. Chewing it to the bone undeterred, her mouth was covered with grease. She seemed more concerned with eating rather than talking.

    "...... I feel full just looking at you."

    "I am quite the light eater myself. I couldn’t hope to imitate you."

    "This meat is really delicious. I wonder if the secret to its deliciousness is that it’s free. Oh, my heart is full of happiness!"

    The two were dumbfounded while she quickly devoured the meat. A feeling of fullness enveloped the hero as Matari next to her happily indulged herself.

    "Even though you have a lot of money, you're really stingy."

    "They say that there is no such thing as a free lunch. I am worried about what is to come."

    "It doesn’t matter about what’s to come. The only thing that matters is now. Right, Matari?"

    Y-Yeah, you’re right. But you're really stingy too, Hero. I'm worried about your future as well! I think of that too."

    

    The confused boar who was suddenly wedged into the conversation immediately spat venom at the hero. There was a possibility that her true intentions surfaced. 

    The hero stared at her with narrow eyes.

    "...... You've really got some nerve, you know that? When we get back to the room, I'll knead your cheeks, so look forward to it!"

    "W-Wait, please wait a second! What the heck did I even do!?"

    Matari suddenly raised her voice.

    When the hero was about to tease her further, a strange sight befell the eyes of the hero. A group of people who were causing a ruckus at the reception desk came walking towards them in a straight line. But what was really strange about this was the fact that they were a bunch of kids who looked out of place in a bar. There were about ten of them.

    The other customers grew curious about what was going on. Looking at Limoncy from a distance, she had an unusually bewildered look on her face.

    "...... What's going on? Hero-girl, what did you do?"

    "I don't know. I wouldn't ever mess with kids."

    "Well, let's say, for example, you stole their sweets. You’d probably do it if you were hungry. This is no good, you can't take things that belong to others."

    At Edel's sloppy guess, the hero involuntarily shouted.

    "Who do you think I am!? I would never take candy from a kid! If I wanted some I'd buy it myself!"

    "Now, now, if you yell so loud you’ll scare the kids."

    "──Eh."

    During their exchange, the hero was surrounded by a group of children. A naughty-looking kid seemed to be the leader of these youths. Most of the others looked either on the verge of tears or terrified. To put it bluntly, they were completely out of place here. The hero could not help but ask what they wanted. If they happened to ask for pocket money, she would make sure she punished them all. She swore in her heart that she would make them all cry with flicks to the forehead.

    "The hell are you bunch of kids doing here? This isn't a playground. If you want to explore do it outside."

    "We're not exploring....... Big sister, are you really a hero? When I asked the old guys here, they said that big sister was one."

    "This is a bit sudden. They're right, I'm the hero without a doubt."

    The hero puffed out her chest. She was nothing but a hero. She was definitely a hero.

    "Do you have proof?"

    "I don't have proof. But I am a hero. No matter what anyone says."

    "...... Hmmm, are you sure?"

    The naughty-looking child looked at the hero with judging eyes. 

 

    Though she was getting annoyed, she decided to put up with it. It would not be mature of her to hit a child. However, her impression of this child worsened, and in her eyes, he fell to the level of brat.

    "Brother, let's ask her for help. There’s no one else."

    "But she's so small. I don't know if she can do it."

    

    "She's a hero, so she'll be okay. Probably."

    A quiet-looking girl advised the brat.

    "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. A hero is a hero even if she's small!"

    "Yeah, size doesn't matter to a hero. Probably."

    "H-Hey, you little shits."

    She was being called small by kids who didn't even look ten yet. She did not know where to direct her anger, so she drained the alcohol in her glass without thinking. Next to her, Pinky was covering her smiling mouth holding back laughter, Matari was overtly looking away, and Lulurile's face was slightly flushed as well.

    The hero glared at them. If they wanted to laugh, then they should just laugh. Of course, if they did, she would give them their just deserts.

    "So, you guys came here to make fun of me? Well, if you're satisfied, then go home. I don't have time to worry about you guys."

    When she made a shooing gesture with her hand to drive them off, the girl looked like she was about to cry. The brat frowned and placed a small pouch on the table. There seemed to be copper coins inside. The faint sound of coins scraping against each other could be heard.

    "I have a request. When I asked Ms. Limoncy, she told me that no one would accept such a dangerous request. That's why I want to ask you, big sister Hero."

    This was troublesome. From what she has experienced to this day, she was sure of it. A hero must serve the people for free. And if you say anything, you will be criticized. That was just the way the world was.

    The hero let out an involuntary sigh.

    "...... I'll listen to you just this once. What happened?"

    "Well, actually..."

    The request was simple. 

  

    The adventurers who went to collect orc flowers never returned. Apparently, among those missing, there were several people from an orphanage. Since they were from the same orphanage as the kids, they were probably like older brothers and sisters to them. Orcs in this period did not kill humans but would capture them alive. Though they would only be kept alive until the day of the banquet. These children hoped to save them before that time. But there was not a single person willing to accept such a dangerous request, for a reward of a mere one hundred copper coins stuffed in a small sack. 

    The children couldn't find anyone willing to help them, but upon hearing the rumors of a hero, they sought her out in desperation. If she was a hero, she would definitely help those in need. So, after confirming with Limoncy, the children appeared before the hero.

    "... I see. So, you’re asking me to ride on into the orc’s nest for a hundred copper coins. Walk right into the orcs stronghold while they're more ferocious than ever, all by myself."

    The corners of the mouth of the hero lifted as she stared at the brat's face. Perhaps being overwhelmed by it, the brat averted his gaze.

    "Y-Yes. But if you're a hero, you'll accept it no matter how dangerous it is. I read in a book that they help people in trouble."

    The brat turned his head, only to see the girl nodding her head.

    "Heroes are the hope of everyone. So they can't abandon those in need. L-Look, see."

    The girl took out a book from her bag and tried to show it to the hero. But she wiped it away and spat in a cold tone.

    "That's ridiculous. I wouldn't ever take on such a stupid request. Why should I help those idiots who willingly rushed into danger on their own?"

    "B-But!"

    "H-Hero, they're still kids. You could say it a little softer."

    Matari tried to calm her down, but her frustration wouldn’t subside.

    "Just because you’re a hero, that doesn’t mean you have time to save idiots. Heroes aren't gods. If you think they'll do anything you ask, you're wrong. I don't give a damn if they die or not!"

    She slammed her fist on the table, causing the plates of food to scatter, and Edel and Lulurile silently began to pick up the mess.

    "You're a hero, aren't you!? How come you won't help us!? If you don't, everyone will be eaten and die!"

    The brat cried out with tears in his eyes.

    "It's none of my business. If you get it, then give it up. No one's going to help you, even if you cry and scream about it. That's the way this world is."

    No one will help you even if you cry and scream. Even as her body was impaled and her throat ran hoarse, none of them tried to help. Her former comrades abandoned her, and so did everyone else. That was why the hero became strong. Strong enough to fight all on her own. Strong enough to kill, kill, and kill demons — until she's killed them all.

    "You’re not..."

    The brat muttered something, but his voice was too low to be heard.

    "I can't hear you. If you're a man, you should speak clearly."

    "You're not a hero."

    "I'm a hero. It doesn't matter what anyone says. I am a hero."

    "Someone, someone like you can't be a hero!"

    The brat took a mug of alcohol and poured it over the hero. Her whole body was doused with alcohol, soaked from her hair down. She could have avoided it, but the hero chose not to.

    "...... So, are you done?"

    "Damn it, let's go home! There was no point in asking this faker! Let's ask someone else!"

    The surrounding children left the bar, following after the brat. The girl holding the book stood, looking at her as if she wanted to say something, but after a moment, she left.

    "That must have been tough, hero-girl. I guess that’s the price of fame."

    Edel deliberately began to speak playfully. She was clearly worried about the hero.

    Matari wiped the body of the hero with a clean cloth. She could not help but feel she was being meddlesome. She was perfectly capable of cleaning herself.

    "It's going to leave a smell, so you'll have to wash it off later. In the meantime, you might want to change your clothes."

    "...... I will."

    "But are you really not going to help them? I felt kind of sorry for those kids."

    Matari murmured in a small voice.

    

    The hero shook her head.

    "I live to kill demons, but I have no intention of helping idiots. Besides, if you accepted a request like this, you'd be putting your companions at risk. Does it make sense to go for petty self-gratification and a measly reward?"

    "It's a pity, but hero-girl’s judgment is sound. Someone might go if they were had a death wish, but if I were you, I'd have politely declined."

    "There is no need to pull one's chestnuts out of the fire....... It is not that I do not have sympathy for them, but this is their own doing."

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    Matari, who remained silent, dropped her gaze.

    "You don't seem convinced. On the contrary, would you take the job if you were the leader? Would you take on such a request, despite the reward being so low, all the while putting us all in such a dangerous predicament? Can you answer that?"

    "M-My decision?"

    "Yep. It's important to think for yourself. So, I want to hear your opinion."

    Matari crossed her arms and began to think. After pondering for a few moments, she answered with her eyes downcast.

    "...... I'm sorry. I think I would decline as well. I couldn't knowingly get my precious companions involved."

    "Yep, that's correct. If you recklessly took on everything without thinking about the consequences, you won’t ever make it. Anyone can figure that out with a little thinking."

    "...... Yeah. You're right."

    "It's a pity, but that is the way adults make decisions. I don't like the phrase, 'There's nothing we can do,' but there really is nothing we can do about it."

    …Afterward, the hero returned to their room ahead of the others, changed her clothes, and went to bed immediately. You will forget about all the bad things if you go to sleep. That is what she has always done. So today she would sleep quietly. That should be alright.

    And so, the hero slowly closed her eyes.

 

 

 

    It was deep into the night, and the Paradise Pavilion was long since deserted.

 

    The usually bustling tavern was now quiet and still. The Master had already begun preparations for breakfast, and Limoncy, who was supposed to take his place, already left for the world of dreams.

    Opening the door as quietly as possible, the hero stepped out into the chilled outside air.

    "... Alright. Time to go."

    “And where are you headed to, alone in the dead of night?”

    The hero involuntarily placed her hand on the hilt of her sword upon the sudden voice which called out to her. Seeing who it was, she clicked her tongue and pulled back her hand.

    "...... You scared the hell out of me. I'm just going for a walk to sober up a little."

    "Dressed like that? This town must be quite dangerous."

    "Hmph, you're being annoying. I’ll do what I want, bird-face."

    The hero clicked her tongue. 

 

    In front of her was a white crow. The white of its feathers stood out in the darkness.

    "It's been a long time. It's been years, decades, centuries since we talked like this."

    "It doesn't feel like it's been that long. You look like you’ve been doing great."

    "Well, you know, I've lived carefree my entire life. But the others have either returned to the wild, disappeared, or have gone mad and died. Many of them have even went off to become vengeful death gods. It's pretty amazing."

    "Oh yeah?"

    Hearing the curt response of the hero, the white crow flew up onto her shoulder.

    "... Hey, do you want me to call you by your name? I still remember it."

    "...... Maybe it's fine not, because it won't feel like me anymore. I really have forgotten it, you know."

    "Is that so? How very sad. So, our hero is going somewhere now, aren’t they?"

    "Yeah, just for a walk. It feels good to catch the cool night breeze."

   "As always, you still have a soft spot for humans. You really are naive. You were just like this back then, too. That’s why──"

    The white crow flapped its wings busily throwing white feathers down.

    "Shut up. Birds should chirp like birds. Anyway, I'm busy, so I'm gonna go."

    "Hey, you don't have to do this anymore. Nothing good is going to come out of you trudging on like this. Just take it easy. You are finally free."

    "I wish I could, but I don't have a choice."

    "It’s because you're a hero, right?"

    "Yeah."

    The hero muttered a single word and began to run.

    She thought she was an idiot, but she couldn't help it. Now, it was too late to change anything. It wasn't because she had some sort of soft spot for people. She only felt that if she didn't choose to do this, she would regret it. 

 

    The meddlesome white crow flew ahead as if guiding her forward. He was still the same aloof and carefree character as before. The hero thought they were alike in that way. They had not changed. Does oneself not change? Cannot oneself change? Or did they just refuse to change? The hero continued running through the night, trying to decide which was the right answer.

-

     

    ──The fiftieth floor of the labyrinth. This floor was recognized as the territory of the orcs. Before the appearance of the orcs, insect and plant-like demons inhabited the floor, but now are rarely ever seen. This was because the orcs, who suddenly appeared, rapidly grew in strength and numbers, taking control of the fiftieth floor all in one breath. When passing through this floor, one will eventually have to choose between two different paths. One leads to a staircase leading further down, and the other to the orc’s nest. If one wishes to obtain the orc flower, then they need only take the path branching left. One will hit a few dead ends, but eventually, you will reach the orc's nest. The consistency of encounters with orcs will grow along with their ferocity, but that serves as proof that you are approaching the nest.

    An eerily decorated gate stood at the nest’s entrance, and through it, was the gaping hole left behind by a collapsed wall. Once past, a strangely spacious area awaits. It was not clear how, but as you pass through, the environment transforms into something like a natural cave. It was as if the labyrinth had been forcibly connected to the outside world. Scholars have proposed various theories to explain this phenomenon but had yet to come up with a sound explanation. It was in this strange domain where the orcs lived their lives.

    Elite orcs stood guard around the entrance's vicinity, and orc scouts were stationed along the path to the nest. Forcibly breaking through was an extremely difficult task. Through the guards at the center of the orc's nest was a ceremonial pedestal at which the Orc King, ruler of the orc tribe, was praying incessantly for the banquet. As the inside of their nest was infested with abstaining orcs, any attempt to raid their nest was nothing short of suicide. Even so, many people willingly challenged them, as that was just human nature. At this time of year before the banquet, the fields of orc flowers are in full bloom, and if adventurers could manage to reach this point, they could finally obtain them. But only if they could survive. 

    At the edge of their nest was a group of captive adventurers with shattered dreams kept in crude cages, while the orcs looked on at their huddled livestock in amusement. If they held on just a little longer, they could let their instinct explode and devour them to their heart's content. Imagining the taste of human blood and flesh, they did not even try to hide their drooling.

    And all the poor adventurers could do was wallow in misery, regret their foolishness, and pray to their god.

 

 

 

     In a small room on the fiftieth floor leading to the orc's nest, an orc scout stood guard. A torch hung on the sidewall of the room illuminated its surroundings with a dim light. The body of the orc scout was smeared with so much mud, it was impossible to discern him from the rest of the room at a glance. The dim lighting and the dusty interior of the small room only helped to conceal his presence even more so. With the banquet fast approaching, security around the nest was more stringent than ever. If any intruders appeared making their way to the nest, a special whistle would be blown that was of a frequency only orcs could hear to summon any nearby orc brethren. As for the adjacent floors, groups led by orc commanders roamed around on patrol. It was their task to capture any prey they could find. Several unfortunate passers-by had already been captured.

    ──Suddenly, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching him. Orc scouts have abnormally developed hearing and can pick up even the slightest of sounds.

    Suppressing his breathing, he carefully nocked an arrow into the short bow while staying out of sight, focusing his attention to the entrance of the small room. What emerged from the darkness was an orc commander, the most elite among the orcs. He slowly walked forward, albeit with a stagger, he managed to walk forward. The orc scout was confused, as orc commanders are supposed to be leading his brothers in the hunt for humans. So why did he come back alone?

    Before long, his face was illuminated by the torch on the wall, disturbing the orc scout. The orc commander’s face wore an expression of anguish, and blood covered his entire body, his arms had been severed, and an axe had been stuck deep into his back. It was an axe created by orcs and was an order of magnitude larger than any ordinary axe. It was a miracle he was even still alive.

    "... U-Uah."

    "Thanks for the directions. You can be at peace. Soon you’ll be right at home."

    At the same time, he heard a young woman's voice, the orc commander's body was vertically cut in two. With a faint cry and splashes of blood, he died. What appeared behind him was a small girl wearing a cloak, stained red with the sprayed blood. She wore a silvery-white armor adorned with blood, her right hand held a steel sword, and her mouth was twisted to a fearless bend. 

    The orc scout prepared to take her by surprise but immediately changed his mind. He had no idea how strong the girl was, but she had the physical strength to effortlessly split an orc commander, who boasted a body hard as steel, in two. Despite her being a mere human, he decided it would be best to call for backup. Calmy deciding so, he pulled a whistle from his pocket. 

    ──At the moment when he tried to blow the whistle with all his might.

    "──Here we go!"

    Quickly pulling the orcish axe from the corpse of the orc commander, the girl hurled it his way. The huge axe severed the orc scout's right arm causing him to reveal himself, and the bow he was holding to hit the ground with a thud.

    "Gyahhhh!!"

    The intense pain coursed through his body, making him drop his whistle. His once mud-caked body was now dyed red with his own blood.

    "I know you think you were hiding, but I can smell you. You shouldn’t underestimate humans so much."

    "P-Pathetic human!!"

    Screaming an insult, he pulled a dagger from his waist with his left hand. A great deal of blood flowed from his open wound.

    "You say that after that 'pathetic human' cut off your arm. Well, your friends who've gone ahead of you are waiting."

    "──Silence! What are you doing, my brothers!!"

    "No matter what you do, I’m going to slaughter you all. And don't talk to me like I'm one of you pigs."

    The girl was closing the distance between them at a terrifying speed. 

 

   Taking aim with his dagger, the orc scout threw it with all his might. But the girl effortlessly grabbed it with her bare hand and pounced on him, plunging the dagger into him with her momentum. The sharp blade pierced the orc scout's eye, and his vision began to run red along with a great pain. He wished to scream, but it was unable to leave his throat.

    "Tch!"

    "Sorry, I won’t let you make a fuss this time."

    The girl grabbed him by the throat and forcibly threw him down to the ground. The moment he fell to the ground, a sharp kick stomped down onto his throat. He desperately resisted but couldn't push the girl away. The orc scout, unable to breathe, could only helplessly kick his legs out.

    "──K-Kuh!"

    "I'll ask you one question before I set you free. Does this path lead to your nest? I actually have some business there."

    The girl asked him questions as if she were making small talk. Having eased off his throat, the orc scout could finally breathe. After coughing violently, he strained his voice. A proud orc should never bow down to a pathetic human being. Because humans were the hunted, and orcs were the hunters.

    "Y-You will soon be killed by brothers. You will get reward, stupid monkey!"

    "Ah– then die."

    When the girl pronounced his sentence, she put strength into her leg and stomped down on the orc's throat; forcibly tearing it apart. His head rolled around the floor, spilling blood as it went, with the knife still stuck in its face causing it to roll erratically.

    "Well, I guess I'll just keep going this way."

     After letting out a sigh of relief, the girl – The hero, began to walk again.

    "This is annoying. Why'd I even come here? I don't care how many idiots die."

    She involuntarily began to talk to herself. It was a bad habit she developed when she was traveling alone. She continued talking to no one, but there was no one to answer her now. The faces of those noisy bunch suddenly came to her mind. She felt as if something was missing without them here.

    "...... I came to pick orc flowers to make some money. I'm only here for my own benefit, that’s all. That’s alright."

    Kicking the head of the orc as she passed by, the hero began to walk alone, through the dimly lit passage.

 

 

 

     The only entrance that led to the orc's nest was a gate constructed into a hole made by a collapsed labyrinth wall. Its defense was perfect; and even now, elite orcs stood by on guard, fully armed. One of the guarding orc scouts detected footsteps approaching from ahead. Determining it was not of their brethren by the weight of the steps, he signaled to his other brethren.

    "Intruder is coming."

    "What is scout doing?"

    "Good. The sight of blood will distract my hunger."

    "Stupid monkey."

    The orc soldiers awaited the intruder with large spears, and the scouts took aim with their bows from behind, aiming towards darkness in front of them. A minute or so passed, and the footsteps suddenly disappeared, and not a single sound could be heard.

    "...... Are they there?"

    "They run in fear. Sound whistle and give chase."

    A sphere-like object was thrown at the feet of the sneering orc. The orcs quickly turned their gazes towards the object. It was the head of an orc scout, with a look of horror frozen on his face. A knife was deeply embedded into his terrified face. It was abnormal for orcs to be frightened to such a degree.

    "W-Who the hell are you!?"

    The orc soldier looked ahead, shaken.

    A small figure slowly walked out from the darkness into the dim light. The orcs took a deep breath, and as they were about to let out a menacing roar, with a terrible flash of light, the sound of an explosion roared throughout the space. The orcs who found themselves in the epicenter of the explosion immediately perished. The flesh of the orcs guarding the gate were strewn about, making it difficult to tell what kind of creature they belonged to.

    "Maybe that was a little too flashy. With all that noise I might as well be telling them, I'm here."

    The hero brushed her hair back and reflected on if she blundered. She originally planned to sneak in and use a wide-range magic spell to get rid of all the orcs at once. Thinking back on it, the hero continued onward, kicking away the debris and rubble of the gate as she passed.

 

-   

 

    Sure enough, orcs were waiting on the other side. Orc sorcerers in robes were holding their staffs out in the air revealing their murderous intent. They had already finished their chanting.

    "The intruder who broke the gate!"

    "Let us avenge our fallen brethren!"

    "Don't let her go any farther! It would defile the spirit of our ancestors!"

    

    The orc sorcerers shouted in anger. Unlike ordinary orcs, their speech was not slurred, as they possessed a higher intelligence, they could coherently converse with human speech. The same could be said of the Orc King and orc commanders as well.

    

    The hero began to advance without a change in expression. With her movement as a signal, the orc sorcerers unleashed their fire magic in unison. They were not particularly powerful individually, but when they all chanted at the same time, the power of their flames was significantly magnified, reaching the level of a hellish blaze.

    The body of the hero was enveloped in an inferno, and the vortex of fire rose towards the ceiling in a storm of sparks. Bonfire of the Orcs. It was the might of the combined magic of orc sorcerers, a technique that has burned countless intruders to ash. With their bloodlust still unquenched, the enraged orc sorcerers began to unleash their own spells. The attacks landed one after another onto the spot where the hero was engulfed in flames. A roar and searing winds blew through the cave, and the commotion did not cease for some time.

    "Stupid monkey. Let your damned soul be burned to cinders."

    "The blood of our brethren has been shed before the banquet. Let us vent our anger by devouring the captured monkeys."

    "If there is a corpse left of the stupid monkey, we will hang it up to drive off the other monkeys."

    The orc sorcerer's mouth twisted into a smile as he strained his eyes to make out the remains of a corpse.

     

    Smoke lingered in the air, making visibility poor, and, when the smoke finally cleared, there was a girl covered in a pale blue film. Due to a counteractive spell, her body remained completely unharmed. 

    Before the orcs could let out a cry of astonishment, arrows of light pierced the bodies of the orc sorcerers. More and more arrows of light were fired back in return. It would be fitting to call it a downpour. Without even having cognized what had happened, the orc sorcerers' corpses were riddled with arrows of light.

    "That was pretty good for pigs. I've never seen a joint magic spell like that before."

    Casually brushing the dust off of her body, the hero walked forward.

    While killing any orcs that attempted to stop her, she slowly advanced forth. Along the way, she found other imprisoned adventurers, but she had no intention of helping them just yet. From the looks of it, they seemed to have been beaten, and their arms and legs had been broken, rendering them immobile. Even if she destroyed the cage, it would make no difference. They still would not be able to escape.  So, the hero decided to prioritize the annihilation of the orcs. Naturally, she would see to it that every last one of them was killed. The race of creatures that survived primarily by devouring humans; demons, could not be allowed to live. This was a decision she made a long time ago. Bravely crushing any orcs that jumped out at her, the hero proceeded through the cave.

 

-

    And so, when the final orc commander appeared before her and was torn apart, she finally reached the end of the passage. It suddenly opened up into a space where white flowers were blooming everywhere, and on a central pedestal, the majestic Orc King gazed down upon the intruder with dignity. Around him, quivering orc soldiers barely able to contain their rage formed a line with their weapons at the ready. The orcs were all agitated by the strange incidents that had occurred right before the ceremonial ritual. The Orc King's face was flushed red with shame and anger as they had once again allowed a human to trespass on their grounds.

    "O, my orc brethren! Once again, an uninvited guest has shown themselves before the solemn banquet! And even more unforgivable, a great deal of sacrifice has been made by our brethren. Put her to death immediately, tear her apart to appease our ancestor's spirits!"

    The Orc King let out a mighty roar which echoed throughout their nest, and at his call, his fellow orcs followed suit, raising a fearsome war cry. Their screams reverberated throughout the cave and shook even the earth.

    "Shut up. I'm going to kill you all so come at me all at once. Your species is going extinct today, so make sure you don't have any regrets."

    As the hero raised her sword to provoke them, with the orcs anger near reaching it limit.

    

    Amid the chorus of "Kill, kill, kill," a huge red orc wielding a crimson greatsword came forward.

    "I will deal with her. It would be shameful for us all to mock and kill this brave little human who rode here all alone. Only by defeating her face to face can we uphold the honor of our ancestors' spirits."

    The seemingly very strong orc was clad in heavy steel armor and wore a helmet that covered his entire head. But what was particularly striking was his pigmentation. His skin was blood red, and even the hair on his body was stained red.

    "...... You are?"

    "I am a Blood Orc, blessed by the spirits of our great ancestors. And the name given to him was Guate. One of the loyal servants of the King."

    "O, great warrior, Guate! Offer this girl as the first living sacrifice to our ancestors! Kill her! Let the shame we orcs have suffered through be paid back!"

    When the Orc King gave the order, the swarm of orcs chanted "Kill!" whilst repeatedly slamming their spears into the ground to rule up their brethren. Amidst their earth-rumbling roars, Guate nodded his head.

    "──Get ready."

    Guate the Blood Orc, pulled the mighty red greatsword from his back and turned its point to the hero. The blade, like his skin, was a ghastly crimson shade; at a glance, it looked as if blood was ceaselessly dripping from its edge.

    "So, you're the best at what you do? Okay, let's get on with it."

    The hero also readied her steel sword.

    "Let me hear your name, brave one. Even when I kill you, I will only take off your head and see to it that you are humiliated no longer. So, you may die in peace."

    Guate spat lines befitting a proud warrior. The hero brought the steel sword to her face and decided to give him an answer. While there would be no shame in ignoring him, she felt compelled to respond. As the atmosphere around him felt slightly similar to that of the strongest enemy she has ever faced, the Demon King.

    "I am a hero. A monster who exists only to kill all demons; monsters don't need names."

    "A human hero, yet she calls herself a monster. Very intriguing. ──Now, let us begin!"

    With a ferocious roar, Guate lunged straight for the hero.

    The hero released a spell to gauge his strength. If his momentum did not cease, he would collide head-on with a powerful spell.

    "Burn!"

    The flames unleashed from her palm enveloped Guate's body; however, it seemingly had no effect on his body; he only continued his charge toward her.

    "You humans are so quick to resort to magic! That is what kills you!"

    "──Tsu!!"

    The hero narrowly avoided the huge sword swung down at her from above. Attempting to create distance, she quickly ran to the side; but before she could, a great kick from Guate exploded into her side.

    "Naive!"

    The hero, struck in her abdomen, was sent flying into the wall with tremendous force. It was a strike that would undoubtedly leave any ordinary human on death's door.

    "──Kuh."

    "I can't believe you managed to survive. I am impressed, human-hero.”

    Guate slowly closed the distance between them. 

 

    With his next attack, he was likely going to deliver a finishing blow, severing the head of the hero as ordered by the king.

    "...... You, magic doesn't work on you?"

    Feigning an air of dying, she asked in a whisper. 

 

    Among the demons, there were those who shared such an attribute, so she asked for confirmation.

    "With the blessings of the ancestral spirits, I have acquired a resistance to magic. With deep wisdom, great strength, and overwhelming vitality, I have overcome the trial of blood and have acquired this great power!"

    "...... Trial of blood?"

    "Yes. I have taken in many red flowers and managed to not lose myself under extreme conditions. Last time, I was the only one to survive. But someday, hundreds of my brethren will overcome this trial. And eventually..."

    Guate spoke proudly. 

 

    Eventually, they most likely planned on launching an invasion above ground. 

    

    He looked to the sky and found the rocky ceiling of the cave above, his eyes filled with a murderous intent. 

 

    The specifics were not clear, but it seemed as if the number of red orcs would continue to grow if left unchecked. In other words, the right thing to do would be to ensure they were all destroyed without fail.

    After healing herself, the hero staggered to her feet, holding up her sword with trembling hands.

    "...... Come on, let's go another round."

    "That spirit is truly admirable. It seems I was not wrong in my decision to fight you. I shall bury you with my finest attack."

    

    Guate held his red greatsword diagonally upward and began to muster his strength. With a groan, he took up a swinging stance. 

    Guate's eyes widened, and he launched forward with an explosive momentum unbefitting his massive body. He instantly closed in on his target; with a splitting shout, the sword flashed with his fighting spirit and tore through the air making its way to its target: the slender neck of the hero.

    The hero took a defensive posture as if she planned on catching it with her steel sword; however, the sword in her hands had already been through numerous battles and was worn. It was not strong enough to catch the might of the Blood Blade, the greatest treasure of the orcs. 

    As the blade was swung at the hero, the steel sword crumbled under the weight of the red greatsword, snapping in two. With a lust for blood, the blade continued through and dug deep into the right shoulder of the hero. Despite veering off course, Guate had succeeded in inflicting a fatal wound. The red blade cut into her body reaching her heart; the face of the hero twisted in anguish.

    "Now allow me to set you free. Farewell, human hero."

    "...Yeah. Alright then, sayonara."

    At the apathetic words of the hero, Guate wore a suspicioned gaze. The strength behind his sword weakened for but a moment. 

    

    A hero never misses an opportunity. 

 

    Letting go of her broken sword, she sharply thrust her hand into Guate's abdomen. The multiple layers of his steel armor were effortlessly pierced, and his well-trained abdominal muscles were easily torn apart. A moment later, an indescribable pain transmitted to Guate's brain.

    "Ghuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    A scream echoed throughout the cave, and the orcs who had been shouting in encouragement, were now dead silent. 

 

    The hero mercilessly plunged deeper into Guate's stomach as if digging out his internal organs. The left hand of the hero wrapped around his body in a hug; completely restraining his movements. Guate fought back desperately like an obstinate horse but was unable to shake her off. Her left hand tenaciously held his huge body in place; it was a fearsome force akin to a vise.

    "Does it hurt? Don't worry, you'll be freed soon. I just wanted to try something."

    "──G-Gah!"

    Unable to withstand the pain, Guate's eyes rolled to white as he lost consciousness. A white light suddenly began to shine from within his body. The overflowing light was so intense it was as if it were forcibly beating its way out from within.

    "Burst."

    As the explosion spell of the hero burst inside, Guate's body violently blew apart. His blood and flesh rained down on the hero along with the orc horde. The steel armor, having lost its contents, was unable to retain its original shape.

    "I get it. So, it's only your skin that’s resistant to magic. So that means if I just use magic inside your body there won't be any problems. I'll keep that in mind for future reference."

    

    The hero muttered to herself and took the crimson greatsword that stood like a tombstone with her left hand. It was a terribly gigantic sword unbefitting the petite hero. 

    Swinging it around with ease, she began looking around for her next target. Though, the nails on her right hand had been peeled off, and her fingers were twisted and bent in odd directions; it was an unsightly mess. So, the hero quickly used a healing spell on it to quickly get herself in order.

    "Gu-Guate's dead? The mightiest of us orcs....... Our greatest warrior... blessed by the ancestral spirits... has been defeated?"

    The king was astonished; his body left trembling.

    The orcs' morale had been completely shattered; some were even stricken with fear. Orcs respected strength above all else. So, when encountering a level of strength that exceeded their own, they would instinctively be gripped with dread.

    

    A panicked orc soldier attempted to thrust his spear at the hero from behind. It was not an act of courage, nor a way to vent his rage, but rather, an act of desperation to rid himself of terror. 

 

   Without even looking at the attack, the hero swiftly swung the greatsword backward.

    "Gha-aaah!!"

    The orc's body was neatly divided into two halves: an upper body and a lower body. Internal organs spilled out through the open wound exuding a foul order.

    "It seems pretty sharp for such a big sword. I'll take this as a trophy. Any weapon would do, but this is pretty cool. It'd be a waste to let a bunch of pigs use it."

    "H-How dare you, a human, lay your hands on the Bloodstained Greatsword, the orcs greatest treasure! My brethren, take back our treasure and offer her bloody corpse as an offering!"

    The Orc King gave the order, but few heeded his call. The orcs were paralyzed with fear by the strength of the monster that stood before them.

    "Brethren, are you not proud orcs!? If you cannot beat her alone, then fight her with three! And if you can't beat her with three, surround her with ten! If ten won’t do, then tear her apart with a hundred! We must not allow ourselves to be beaten by a mere monkey!"

    The Orc King screamed and at the same time, cast a psychoactive spell on his brethren. Although, it was only a simple sorcery that numbed the mind, it was extremely potent on the orcs who had only been eating the roots of orc flowers. As a result, the effect had been greatly amplified.

    "Uooooooooooooooooooooo!!"

    Hearing the Orc King's call, the orcs regained their former morale. A strong human was still just a human. There were over a thousand orcs in their nest. Even if their opponent was strong, there was no way they could lose if they all fought together. The orcs reminded themselves of this fact and forcefully raised their fighting spirit.

    "Devour this girl's guts! Those who survive can do as they wish with the livestock! Eat as much as you like! As this is a tribute to our ancestors! Let the banquet begin!"

    The Orc King continued to shout as he excitedly swung around the tin cane in his hand.

    The orcs' excitement had reached its peak, and they were already on the verge of exploding.

    

    ──But, it was due to this that they did not notice the small sphere of light lingering above their heads, which was expanding at a tremendous speed. 

 

    At the king's decree, the orcs amongst the horde raised an uproar. And the hero merely glanced at them one by one as if to say it didn't matter who came first. Killing each of them one at a time would take too long. If she did that, the sun would have risen and set again by the time she finished. So, she decided to use a particular spell again. It was a powerful large-scale spell she used in the fall of the Demon King's castle. The hostages were imprisoned at the edge of the cave, so there likely wouldn't be any collateral damage; however, she didn't care if they were. Anything was better than being eaten alive. 

    Thrusting the red greatsword into the ground, the hero with widened eyes began to cast the spell.

    As before, she materialized two more spheres of light and positioned them near the ceiling of the cave. But at the same time as two small lights were generated, she felt a tightening pressure rush over her heart. Unable to withstand the recoil, two of the three spheres burst and dissipated. A single sphere was currently the limit for the hero. Ever since the defeat of the Demon King, the strength the hero had slowly began to diminish, but with the two spheres now gone, the remaining sphere swelled at an extraordinary rate as it fed off of the mental strength of the hero. 

    As the light grew more and more dazzling some of the orcs began to notice the strange anomaly above them, but the rest of the orcs present rushed in from all directions; all to offer the small girl as a bloody offering to their ancestors. There was no stopping them now. Not even the Orc King who gave the order could – or rather, the Orc King was too transfixed by the glowing sphere to even try.

    "What is that bright light?....... Could it be, is that, the sun? H-How sublime!"

    The Orc King stared directly at the ball of light. Despite the sharp pain in his eyes, he could not tear his eyes away.

    "Oh, oh. Grant us light. O, great ancestors, we have found the great light again!──"

    It was an intense glow that invoked nostalgia; a brilliance he had longed for so much.

    The Orc King unconsciously held his hands above his head.

    ──Then, the gigantic sphere of light burst. An intense flash of light roared as it radiated down to the earth. As if to purify the darkness, light poured down upon them indiscriminately.

    A complete silence fell upon the nest. In a cage set up in the corner, a group of adventurers riddled with wounds were crammed inside. As the hero approached, a mixture of relief and fear appeared on the adventurers' faces. They felt the salvation of being saved, and a fear of the hero who had single-handedly wiped out the orcs. With such a blend of emotions, they we unable to find words to say.

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    First, the hero destroyed the entrance to the cage. From what she could tell, all of their legs seemed broken, so they had no way of escaping on their own. But, she had not the willingness to heal them.

    "Th-Thank you. We're saved!"

    "I-I'll thank you later, but you need to find our transfer stones!"

    "Yeah, they had to have put our transfer stones somewhere!"

    The hero pulled a transfer stone out of a bag sat nearby. Everything the orcs had taken from humans was gathered together in one place. 

    The adventurers' eyes changed color upon seeing the transfer stone. And the hero merely threw them in at random without saying a word.

    "Finally, I'm saved!"

    "I'm the most injured out of everyone! Let me go first!”

    “Give it to me now!"

    "Shut the hell up!"

    The adventurers all swarmed around the stones, pushing and crawling over each other to get to them first. Even wounded they did not help one another.  

    As they grabbed the transfer stones, they raised them up to escape. Not wanting to be left behind, they hurriedly swarmed and crawled over each other, looking no different from beasts or insects. If they remained calm and helped each other, they could all escape together. 

    Excel was also mixed among them, but the hero paid him no attention. Their relationship only went to the extent of knowing each other's name and face.

    Once again, she thought that this was how humans were: only helping each other when they could afford to; the proof of which was the pitiful sight in front of her. No matter who you are, when pushed into times of desperation, your true colors will show. So then, what about Matari, Edel, and Lulurile? Were they just like these people? The hero could not answer the question that came to her. She didn't want to imagine such a situation.

    ──Suddenly feeling another presence, she looked back and saw orcs running away into a grotto in a panic.

    "...... There's still survivors? It’s best to completely eradicate the cause of the disaster."

    The hero muttered quietly and decided to head in their direction.

    The grotto contained many horizontally dug grottoes, which seemed to be where the orcs slept. The hero searched from one end to the other, slaughtering any survivors in hiding. She killed them all without mercy, indifferently carrying out the massacre without hesitation. 

    Eventually, she reached the last grotto, where a faint murmur could be heard from inside. She kicked its wooden door down, and without warning, an axe swung down at her from the shadows.

    "M-Monster!"

    "You monstrous pigs say that a lot. Your friends are waiting for you in hell. So, hurry after them."

    After knocking down the axe with her bare hands, the hero grabbed the orc's thick neck with one hand, with the bastard sword still hung at her back, unctouched. There was no need to wield such a sword against small fry.

    "──Kh!?"

    "Die."

    She easily broke the orc's neck, and carelessly tossed him aside like trash. Inside, another door lay further ahead, with a seemingly hastily constructed barricade set up to block the way. Blasting it away with an explosion spell, the hero stepped inside.

    Behind the door was a clearing where red flowers were being grown. Unlike the white orc flowers, these seemed to be a new cultivar. There was also another group of surviving orcs composed of non-combatant women and elders, and many children with young round-eyes. Upon seeing the hero, they were stricken with terror, and took the children tightly in their arms to protect them from the foreign enemy. They did not look like vicious demons yet; however, when they grew up, they would turn into ugly and ferocious demons. 

    As the bloodied hero began wondering what to do, an orc stepped out from the group. It was an old orc who was barely managing to stand with a cane. He was covered with conspicuous wrinkles, and his once proud body had dried up; looking as if it was ready to break at any moment.

    "...... Did you kill our king, our brethren?"

    "Yes."

    "You, alone, with all our brethren there?"

    "That's right. I annihilated everyone there. If you're lucky, some of them might still be breathing. But I'm sure they'd be mortally wounded and dying soon. I can assure you of that."

    In response to the cruel answer, the old orc closed his eyes and spoke heavily.

    "I want to make a deal."

    "I don't negotiate with demons. Sorry."

    The hero immediately refused.

    She does not deal with demons. Humans and demons are incompatible; thus, it was impossible for them to negotiate. That was just how it was. Demons eat humans as their main source of food. No hunter strikes a deal with their prey. Their words were nothing but a trap to ensnare her.

    "If you kill us, you will never obtain orc flowers again. In search of the flower, you come here before the banquet every year. The cultivation technique to make them is only known to those here."

    Some of the orcs in the group held torches in their hands. They were likely planning to burn all the flowers the moment negotiations broke down. It was the only leverage they had.

    "...... So?"

    "We no longer have the strength to fight. There are only women and children here. So please, let us go, human hero. We only wish to avoid extinction at all costs; therefore, I would like to reach a compromise, no matter the cost."

    The orcs amidst the flowers bowed their heads to the hero, desperately begging for mercy. Even the children held their heads down without, unaware of the meaning of such an action.

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    "If you leave us be, we will provide you with all the new breed of orc flowers in this field. These red orc flowers are even more potent than the white ones."

    

The old orc went on to explain what the red flower was.

    Apparently, it was a new strain of orc flower bred to create blood orcs. Just a single red flower is said to have an efficiency equal to that of ten white orc flowers. Having consumed many of these flowers, Gaute had been reborn as a blood orc. The old orc quietly said they intended to create a large number of blood orcs to expand their power, but that ambition had been crushed.

    "We will never harm humans again. I swear on the spirits of our orc ancestors. I never go back on my word."

    "I don't think that's something creatures that regularly eat humans can endure."

    "If it means preventing extinction, we can look for other sources for food. Let us eat the rats and live in peace. Now, we only wish to find another home and live quiet lives in solitude."

    The old orc said everything he wanted to and returned to their group.

    ──The hero began to think. If she let them go, she would be able to make a lot of money. The hero will earn a reputation as the adventurer who single-handedly annihilated the orcs and rescued the captive adventurers. Even if they were found elsewhere, they would only be regarded as stray orcs. The hero could enjoy tremendous benefits at no cost of her own. It sounded too good to be true. Unfortunately, there are never deals that are ever this good. Eventually, they would attack humans again, yes, undoubtedly. The hero was certain of that, because they were demons. It was inherent in their nature to attack and eat humans. They would never be able to stop. And after going into hiding, they would rebuild their forces over decades and once again hunt humans. By that time, the old orc and the hero would no longer exist in this world. The old orc made a proposal based on the age of the hero and what was left of his own lifespan. If those who made the promise to each other died, then it would not be breaking the oath made before their ancestor's spirits.

    So why not just kill them all? Slaughter the demons who had no intention of fighting back. Although, it would be very unpleasant. She has never killed an unarmed demon child before. For it has only been fully grown demons who've challenged the hero. Would her spirit be able to withstand their screams and cries? She was unsure. But the benefit was they would never attack humans again. Any roaming orcs would still remain, but they would become extinct as a species. However, even if she did kill them, the orcs' territory would simply be occupied by other demons. Nothing would change. Demons would continue roaming the labyrinth as usual. The hero could not explain how, but demons continued appearing within it. It was endless, like a stream of water flooding in. If nothing would change, then it might be okay to let them go. Nothing particularly good would come of exterminating the orcs either. Thinking rationally, that would be the logical thing to do.

    After closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the hero had made a decision. Opening her eyes, she tightly gripped the greatsword. The answer she came to was...

    After finishing her work, the hero raised her transfer stone and returned to the earth. Looking up to the sky, she saw that the sun had already risen. Seemingly, a considerable amount of time had passed since she entered the labyrinth. Exposed to the strong sunlight, the hero felt slightly dizzy.

    "I'm so tired. I just want to sleep."

    The labyrinth square was filled with adventurers who successfully escaped from the labyrinth. Clergymen were at the scene giving medical attention to the injured, and church soldiers were questioning them about the situation. Each of them basked in relief of having narrowly escaped the ninth circle of hell. Among the adventurers were those who screamed in pain and those who cursed at those who constructed their plan. In the crowd, she could see Rob and Bogan. Seeing as they were armed to the teeth, they were likely planning to rescue these adventurers. To not get caught up in the commotion, the hero covered her face with her cloak and snuck along the edge of the plaza. However, the usual arrogant gatekeeper stood at the exit. The moment their eyes met, he immediately called for her to stop.

    "Hey, wait a minute! Don't go out to the main street a bloody mess!"

    "...... Shut up. I'll wash it off as soon as I can."

    "Don't tell me, all those people, you... You know something, don't you! Hey!"

    The hero ignored his words and quickly walked by.

    "I'm tired, so I'll see you later."

    "At least put this on!"

    The gatekeeper, having given up, took a white cape from the basket at his feet and threw it to the hero. Gratefully accepting it, the hero pulled it over her armor to hide her bloody figure. Red slowly seeped into the white fabric, staining it. It was a stain that could never be removed. The hero honestly replied to the guard with a "Thank you," and began to walk onward with heavy steps. The gatekeeper looked as if he was terribly confused. He probably couldn't have imagined she would ever thank him. The hero smiled bitterly at his reaction.

    "...... Ah, the weather really is nice. But I wish it was raining. At least for today."

    

    The hero stretched out her hands to the unattainable sky. Her hands were entirely stained a dry red.

-

    After that day, the orc flower was renamed the 'Phantom Flower,' and its price in the market continued to rapidly increase. The demand from aristocrats who have tasted it only rose, but no supply existed to meet their demands. Counterfeits began circulating in the city, and some even committed murder over this good. Another suffering from withdrawal even spent their entire fortune trying to obtain it, but their efforts were all for not. When the Star church noticed the deteriorating situation, they issued a ban on the sale and handling of orc flowers entirely – they had become phantoms in both name and reality.

    ──Real orc flowers would never exist in the world again.

-

    "...... These are bad. Like really bad."

    Earlier, the hero had been pressed by a bean vendor on Arte’s boulevard to buy some Star Beans. The astringent and bitter taste slowly spread through her mouth, and it was really unpleasant. However, its crunchy texture was addictive, driving her to continue crunching on them until the contents of the sachet were nearly empty.

    "Hey there, young lady. How do the best star beans in town sound? Our beans aren’t like the others!"

    A cheerful middle-aged woman repeatedly patted the back of the hero vigorously. She tried saying she didn't want any, but the repeated offense against her back prevented the words from leaving her mouth. With the merchant's momentum pushed against her, they poured more and more beans into her small bag.

    "H-Hey. What are you doing?"

    "Right, that'll be only five coppers!"

    

    The hero paid the money, dumbfounded. You have lost the moment they pull you in.

    "Come again!"

    "...... Now I've got more beans."

    The hero had no choice but to start eating again. This time the beans were sweet and sour, sweetening the bitterness of the last beans. These beans were actually quite good. But just when she thought the peddlers were gone, a white crow appeared out of nowhere. He brazenly sat on the hero's shoulder as if he had something to say.

    "What? If you want some beans, I can give you some. Beans are good for birds."

    When she tossed some beans to the crow, he began to happily peck at them. The hero felt that despite being a sacred beast, a bird was still a bird.

    "You look tired."

    "Yeah. I worked a little too hard. Even heroes get tired if they keep fighting."

    "So, are you going to continue to be a hero?"

    "Obviously. If I stop being a hero, I won't have anything left."

    "But haven't you found yourself new friends? I'm sure they would accept you even if you weren't a hero. Times have changed, you know."

    "...... Shut up. Why don't you live free like the rest of your kind?"

    "I don’t want to. It would be much better for me to take it easy and live quietly like this."

    With that, the conversation of the hero with the white crow came to an end. Since she had nothing left to discuss, the hero decided to think about something else. That something else being the excuse she would soon have to fabricate. Without saying a word to Matari and the others, she charged into the orcs’ nest all on her own. It was obvious they would be eagerly awaiting her return at the inn, hands cupped in front of them. Edel and Lulurile in particular would be quite troublesome.

    

    First: Edel. She had a rotten personality befitting a corpse lover and would surely pursue the matter. She had a pretty tacky personality and was as persistent as it gets. This pink necromancer was an unpleasant character, this was sure to eventually become an established dogma. Even if she washed off the blood, there was still a possibility that she could still smell it.

    Next, was Lulurile. She was a scholar so she would not release you so easily. If you're not careful, you could be detained for over three hours. Even if you manage to escape to the covers of your bed, there is no doubt that she will continue the questioning endlessly beside you. Those rounded glasses of hers were not just for show.

    Lastly, Matari. She was just a muscle-brained softie, so she should pose no problem. All she had to do was give her some beans, and after a day, she would forget about it —three days for a bird, and one day for a boar.

    The hero slowly began to head towards the Paradise Pavilion, while thinking of ways to deal with everyone. With a happy white crow sat upon her shoulder, continuing to happily peck at the beans.

    The hero quietly opened the door to the Paradise Pavilion so as to not make a sound. Crouching down with both hands on the floor, she moved forward silently. In the end, she couldn't come up with a good excuse. So, she changed her strategy to drinking tons of alcohol and playing dumb. I don't know, don't remember, I'm not sure, don't sweat the details. All she had to do was repeat these phrases ad nauseam. Thinking the plan was too perfect, the hero praised herself. 

 

    Crouching, she moved in the shadows of the guests and tables; all while the large greatsword, which served as a trophy, was hung at her back. Its disturbing appearance drew stares and was a great hindrance. The hero regretted picking it up in the first place. It was much too bulky for a souvenir. After taking three times longer than usual, she finally arrived at the counter where the Master was waiting for her.

    "...... Hey, what the hell were you doing? Sneaking around like one of the rats; is this some kind of new game?"

    The Master's dumbfounded gaze was lost on her. As right now, the hero had something important to take care of immediately.

    "Alright, give me your strongest alcohol and a bunch of it. I don't care what it tastes like either. Don't worry, I’ll pay first. I'm going to drink myself to death; I leave the rest to you."

    Taking a seat, the hero banged on the counter to urge him. This was how malignant drunks would act, but it could not be helped now.

    "What? You’ll leave the rest to me? Kids shouldn't be getting drunk while the sun's out. You won't grow up to be a good adult."

    "Shut up. Anyway, just get me those drinks as soon as possible──"

    When she tried to urge him on by tapping the counter, a glass was offered from a seat over. The hero tried to take the glass from the outstretched hand, but she suddenly froze in place.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here, I present to you this long-awaited, most delicious wine. It's the most expensive drink in this bar, the Arte Soul. So please, take your time. Savor it."

    "...... Welcome home, Hero. I was really worried about you."

    "I have been readily awaiting your return."

    Edel was happily seated to the left of the hero, to her right, Matari's mouth had taken the shape of a frown; and behind them, was Lulurile, whose expression was obscured by the sheen in her glasses. She was surrounded before she knew it. Now, there was no escape.

    "H-Hey, I was just out on a walk and got lost. You see, this city is so damn big for no reason. So, I thought I'd have a drink since all that walking dried out my throat. That's it alright? I'm not guilty of anything."

    She began making excuses before they even asked where she was. In this situation, she decided it would be best to change the subject as quickly as possible.

    "Silence is golden, eloquence is silver. But in Ms. Hero's case, it would suffice to say eloqeunce is 24-karat gold pure of lies.”

    "Did you know that when people lie they tend to be overly verbose? I wonder, what about our little hero?"

    Edel smirked at the hero like a snake. With the image in her head, the hero frowned. It was as if a long slender tongue was about to slip from her mouth at any moment.

    "...... Her words are spinning on her tongue like crazy. It's almost as if she's gone crazy herself."

    Matari stared at the hero with a serious expression on her face.

    The hero turned away, saying, "What did I do wrong?" But on the other side she met Lulurile, so she turned her gaze forward again.

    "W-What? When did I lie? I can't stand it when you just assume stuff. I just got a little lost. I make mistakes sometimes, okay. Even heroes can get lost."

    "Oh yeah? And here I thought you went off into the labyrinth alone to the orc nest we talked about yesterday. And now, since you don't want us to know about it, are trying to cover up your tracks by getting drunk."

    Edel guessed and figured her out immediately. Despite being at a loss for words, the hero desperately denied it.

    "There's no reason for me to go alone. And I'm not so kind a person to go and help those idiots. I'm a hero, not some god──"

    Then, she realized the large red greatsword was on her back. This was very bad. It looked blatantly unnatural and conspicuous. She thought about casually slipping it under the counter, but that would be too obvious no matter how you looked at it.

    "...... I can kind of smell the scent of blood on your body. And what's with that big red sword on your back? It's been glowing ominously for a while now."

    Matari displayed some unprecedentedly sharp insight unusual for her.

    

    "That’s how I'd like you to be in battle", the hero thought.

    "Oh, this? I just picked it up around here somewhere. It's a little too big for me so you can have it. Be grateful."

    Removing the large greatsword from her back, she pressed it against Matari's body.

    "Y-You just picked it up off the streets? There's no way something this dangerous would just be lying around outside!"

    "Shut up. Just be quiet and take it. If you don't want it, I'll just throw it out front."

    "That's unreasonable!"

    While the hero and Matari were bickering, she noticed Lulurile behind them was staring intently at the great sword, a look of surprise stuck on her face.

    "...... This design, and its lustrous blood-red glow. This is definitely the Bloodstained Greatsword."

    "Bloodstained Greatsword? Th-That sounds kind of ominous, doesn't it?"

    Hearing Matari's question, Lulurile proudly answered while touching her glasses.

    "Yes. It is a greatsword said to have been forged by an orc blacksmith, and infused with human blood. It is said that its sharp blade can effortlessly tear through steel. It is a legendary weapon, also said to be the treasure of the orcs."

    The hero held her head while the troublesome person pulled unnecessary things from her pool of excess knowledge. Edel's grin only grew larger.

    "Hmm, treasure of the orcs, huh? That's very interesting."

    The pink snake bared its fangs and extended its long slender tongue. For a moment, the hero considered confessing everything here, but even if she honestly told them that she went to the orc nest and said, "I couldn't put my comrades in danger, so I went alone," they still wouldn't live it down. So, the hero chose to remain silent. As Lulurile said, silence is golden.

    ──The round-eyes with three braids continued pulling from her well of surplus knowledge.

    "Only orc heroes are said to have the right to wield this legendary sword. Countless adventurers have been cut down by its blade. I wonder how much human blood it has bathed in....... I am glad I got to see it in person."

    The greatsword was still emitting an evil red glow. If one wielded it, they might fall into confusion, become numb, or be overcome with the urge to rush at the enemy. If it was the hero, she would likely throw it at the enemy to get rid of it.

    Matari, who listened to Lulurile's story, looked genuinely disturbed.

    "I don't want to use a sword with such a questionable backstory. I feel like I’ll get cursed. On top of that, human blood is mixed in with it, right?"

    "Matari. It is said that sickness and health begins with the mind. You do not come across a gem like this often. Besides, there is no such thing as a weapon that can bring about a curse in this world."

    Lulurile spoke transparently. However, the hero did not miss Lulurile mouthing the word "maybe," so as not to say it aloud. She didn't have a problem with it because it did not involve her, it was clearly written on her face.

    "B-But..."

    "Come on, stop complaining and take it. Even Lulurile's saying nothing's wrong with it. Mastering all kinds of swords is the only way to become a master swordsman. This is just another test on the road to becoming a great warrior.”

    The hero pat Matari on the shoulder to comfort her.

    "...... This is ridiculous. And you've got a smile on your face!"

    "You're just imagining it."

    

    The hero had successfully come up with an excuse to push the greatsword onto Matari. That was one thing out of the way. Now, Matari was to become the heir of this cursed sword. With the Bloodstained Greatsword, she had the makings of a berserker. Now, all she needed was a set of armor with a problematic backstory and their berserker would be complete, ready to be displayed everywhere.

    "── So, back to the point. Where did you get this sword?"

    She was a woman who would not let go once she bit. She was Edel, The Pink Snake Woman. She definitely belonged to some new species of demon.

    "...... Y-You really don't let things go. It doesn't matter, no one cares anymore."

    "No, I'm curious. I'd love to hear about it."

   

     Lulurile bit her from behind.

    "We're all curious. Could you tell me for reference? Please, tell me where you found it, with as much detail as you can."

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    "Come on, come on."

    The hero was unfamiliar with this city. Any lie she came up with would be immediately exposed. But she could refute it by saying she got it from somewhere around here. That would not be a lie as the labyrinth, was in fact, somewhere around here.

    As the hero was about to speak the door opened, and children came running in. With them was the same brat who had poured wine over the hero the day before. The brat was being dragged along by the quiet-looking girl.

    "Ah, she's here! There's big sister Hero!"

    "Hey, wait! Don't pull so hard!"

    "Come on, hurry, hurry!"

    The children gathered around the stunned hero. Were they going to throw stones at her this time? The face of the hero stiffened as she braced herself.

    "...... What do you want?"

    "Um, well..."

    As the hero asked them bluntly, the brat stammered, and his gaze wavered nervously. The girl holding the book sighed and nodded strongly to her fellow children.

    "One, two!"

     『We're sorry for all the horrible things we said to you yesterday, Ms. Hero!』

    

    Each of them bowed their heads and loudly apologized.

    "W-What's with this out of nowhere?"

    "My brothers and sisters from the orphanage came back a little while ago. They said that thanks to your help, they were able to make it back safely. They’re at the clinic right now."

    The girl told her what happened, and the hero realized this conversation was not flowing in a good direction.

    "Well, that's good. All your problems have been solved. Now you can hurry up and head on home."

    The hero tried shooing them away with her hand, but they did not seem to be listening in the slightest.

    "I was wondering who helped them. So when I asked the people at the clinic, a guy named Excel told me all about it. He said that it was a hero from his guild."

    Apparently that breeding-horse survived and said some unnecessary things.

    "We even asked people from the guild and the church, and the rumors about you being a hero have already spread. So, we wanted to properly apologize and say thank you."

    "...... Oh, don't worry about it. I'm not mad. So you kids hurry home."

    "I'm sorry... Come on, say you're sorry!"

    The brat continued looking away, as if he were embarrassed. But after a while, he seemed to have given up, and gave something to the hero.

    "Um, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for pouring the drink on you out of the blue. I wasn't thinking about the danger we would be putting big sister Hero in....... Thank you for saving our brothers and sisters. This is our thank you, but it's not a lot."

    Putting down a bag of a hundred copper coins and something wrapped in cloth, he bowed deeply, then ran out of the tavern. The girl also bowed and chased after him, the rest of the children quickly followed after.

    "I am moved. I am not quite sure what to say. As the saying goes, ‘The good you do for others is good you do for yourself.’ But living to such words is not so easy."

    "...... What a happy ending. It's usually not possible to grant a child's wishes without disregard for one’s self. Don't you think so, hero-girl?"

    "I don't know."

    "Let’s open it right now. I can't help but be curious about what's inside."

 

    With no energy left to argue, the hero unfolded the fabric as she was told. When she unwrapped the cloth, she found a necklace inside – a necklace strung with blue ornamental stones. There was a misshapen star-shaped stone attached to it. It seemed to be the sign of a hero. The children even carefully attached a piece of paper to it.

    The hero took it in her hand, and after staring at it for a while, tried it on. It was crudely made and was awfully cheap looking. It did not seem to have any unique properties, but it did not feel bad either. The hero mocked herself for being so simple.

    Matari couldn't help but smile.

    

    "...... Good grief."

    "... Despite saying that, you look happy."

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    "Now, we're going to get you to tell us everything. Come on, just be honest with us!"

     Edel moved closer, and the hero clutched the bottle of alcohol in silence.

    "H-Hey. What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"

    "Annoying, shut up! I don't know anything!"

    "You can't just drink it all at once!"

    Without worrying about spilling any out of her mouth, the hero drank it down to the bottom. Do not say or talk about unnecessary things. That is what it means to be a hero.

    ──With that in mind, the hero decided to drink herself to death.

     

    While the hero was completely unconscious, Matari, Edel, Lulurile, and Limoncy, who had finished her work, were drinking together.

    "Phew, a good drink after work is the best."

    "The master is still working, though."

    "My work is finished for today, so it’s okay.”

 

    The master who was cleaning up was glaring at her, but Limoncy didn't seem to care.

    "Hero-girl seems to be sleeping well. She's cute."

    "...... Did she really run off into the orcs nest all alone? To kill all the orcs?"

    Matari murmured.

    The hero was undoubtedly strong. But how could a single person destroy a horde of over a thousand orcs? 

    She looked at the sleeping hero beside her. Her small back rose and fell silently. The hero seemed more tired than usual, and got drunk much faster as a well.

    "It seems like she got to the adventurers before the church-led rescue operation could even start. People at the church have been saying they wasted their time gathering up so many people for their fighting force for nothing. Hero most likely slipped out in the middle of the night and eradicated them."

    "That greatsword you're carrying is proof enough. It's definitely the Bloodstained Greatsword. This girl single-handedly wiped out the orcs and rescued those foolish adventurers."

    "...... Yeah.”

    Matari gripped the hilt of the greatsword that stood propped up against the counter. She was a little afraid of getting used to it.

    "If you're going to follow this child, you'd better think about it twice."

    Edel spoke to Matari in a serious tone.

    "What's that supposed to mean?"

    "This kid would jump into the jaws of death no matter what anyone tells her. Like a hero from a fairy tale."

    "...... Because she's a hero?"

    "Yes, because this girl is a hero. Even if everyone laughs at her, even if everyone around her denies it. That's the only thing she absolutely won't give up. She will always be a hero."

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    "If you're not prepared, you won't ever be able to fight alongside her. If we’re going to break up, the sooner, the better. It would save us all a lot of hurt."

    Edel told her indifferently in a calm manner, but Matari roughly refuted.

    "I'll definitely go with her until the end! Because we're friends!"

    "...... Then I won't say anything more. I'll stick around as long as I can. Lulu...... Well, I guess I don't need to tell you anything."

    "I owe a great debt of gratitude to the hero who saved my life. Until I pay off that debt, I will follow her, even if she does not want me to."

    Following, an atmosphere of silence fell over them. Then, as if remembering something, Limoncy suddenly went behind the counter.

    "...... Just who are you, Hero? I know you're a hero, but I really don't know you at all."

    Muttering to herself, Matari began to speak.

    "You know her better than we do. You two have been working together from the beginning."

    "No, actually, I don't know much about her either. I still don't even know her real name. I don't know where she's from or why she's so obsessed with being a hero."

    "Well, even if we asked I'm sure she wouldn't be honest with us."

    Then, Limoncy came back with two objects wrapped in cloth.

    "Sorry for the wait. I brought what I wanted to show you guys last night. Now then, let's get right to it!"

    Pretentiously, Limoncy pulled off the cloth and revealed a picture in an old-fashioned frame.

    "...... Are these the portraits of the three legendary heroes who defeated the Demon King? Ramsus the Swordsman, Mina the Sage, and Unisys the Sorcerer. This must have been painted after the defeat of the Demon King."

    Lulurile approached the painting in observation.

    "Ramsus is Ramsey's ancestor. I would’ve liked to see how hero-girl would react to this. Aren't you curious about it too?"

    At Edel's question, Matari fell silent. She couldn't imagine in what way she would react.

    "...... I am quite curious as well. But let us save it for later. She seems to be sleeping well."

    "...... I wouldn't want to wake her up while she's sleeping either. So I guess we'll just have to do it some other time."

    Edel smiled at Lulurile's words.

    With a deliberate clap, Limoncy placed another cloth-covered object on the table.

    "So, this is what I really want you guys to see. Edel, this'll surprise you for sure."

    "What is it? If this is something you painted, then I don't want to see it. It'll be too abstract and avant-garde for me to comprehend."

    "No, that’s pretty rude, you know. But seriously, while I was looking for the other painting, I stumbled across this in the back of the warehouse. It's a little faded, so it's not in the best condition."

    And with that, Limoncy removed the cloth. The same portrait reappeared. But this time, there were four people painted.

    "...... By some chance, could that be Hero? Her atmosphere is completely different, though."

    "Surrounded by the same three heroes I mentioned a moment ago. The one in the middle really does look like Hero."

    "I've never seen her smile like that before....... Hmmm, I couldn't imagine this cheeky girl smiling so honestly."

    Matari, Edel, and Lulurile stared intently at the painting. 

 

    In the center of the painting was a girl giving an embarrassed smile. The girl wore a brand new suit of armor adorned with a blue cloak. However, she looked very much like the hero sleeping soundly next to them, though they had never seen her with such an expression before. It was hard to even imagine it. If they tried to ask her to give an honest smile, she would probably hit them. Behind the girl was a mature swordsman, an earnest-looking female sage, and a young male sorcerer. It was a portrait that meticulously depicted every detail, even the untrained eye could see that only an artist with a considerable level of skill could create a painting such as this.

    "Hey, aren't you surprised? I wonder what this means.  Hey, master, what's with this picture?"

    "I don't know much about it either. A long time ago, a scholar who was one of our regulars forgot it here.  It was a surprisingly good-looking painting, so I threw it in the warehouse. But I figured they'd come back for it someday."

    The Master replied to Limoncy's question while wiping dishes.

    "Did you work with them? I'd like to look into it. Do you know this person's name?"

    "It was a long time ago, so I can hardly remember. I just know they’re long dead. Rumor has it that he got into some trouble, stuck his nose into something he shouldn't have. They say he died in some accident, but we don't know for sure. But as far as I'm concerned, an accidental death is an accidental death. Even if his body was scarred from being brutally tortured."

    "Hmm. Well, that is pretty common in this town. Scary, scary."

    Limoncy yawned and began pouring herself another glass of alcohol.

    "You know, the composition makes it look like this girl is the hero. She really stands out prominently in the forefront."

    Edel pointed with her finger. Indeed, the painting certainly looked as if it were a picture of a hero and their companions.

    

    "Why don't you ask her about it later? If she knows something, maybe she’ll tell you. Besides, it's already too late, it would be a pity to wake her up."

    "Well, you're probably right. Let's call it here. We still need to put this child to bed too."

    "Oh, I can carry her."

    "Thank you, Matari."

    "Alright, heave-ho──"

    Matari carefully lifted the hero by her shoulders so as not to wake her. She was much lighter than she had imagined. Matari could not help but wonder where all that power was stored in such a tiny little body.

    The hero had departed for the world of dreams, showing no signs of waking up. With an expression befitting a girl her age, she slept peacefully.

    

-

    

    The next morning after waking up, the hero was yet again interrogated about the orc incident and finally confessed. "It's not that I was trying to hide it, I just didn't feel like it was worth mentioning," the hero told them with a sharp tongue.

    "I just went for a walk in the labyrinth and helped them out because I felt like it. But it was late at night, so I didn't want to wake you guys up. Do you have a problem with that?"

    "It's said that there was once an evil fairy named Amanojaku. They had the exact same personality as our hero."

    "I'm not a fairy, I'm a hero. Carve it into those round-lenses."

    The hero left a fingerprint on Lulurile's glasses, but she calmly wiped her glasses off with an unconcerned face.

    "That's not really cute. You should try smiling sincerely for once in your life. Come on, smile just to try it."

    "What kind of stupid stuff are you talking about this early? Did the insides of your head turn pink too?"

    "I knew it was just a mirage. She couldn't be this twisted little shit. I’m sure of it."

    Edel nodded knowingly after a sharp parting remark.

    "Hey, Matari. Something's wrong with Pinky this morning. Get rid of her."

    "I don't need you to tell me what to do!"

    "Alright, then what are we doing today? You wanna head to the labyrinth for now?"

    The hero, who had not slept this well in a long time, was full of determination. Dressed and breakfasted, she was ready to go.

    "No labyrinth today. Because today's the day you've been waiting for.

    "What?"

    "Well, everyone, once you're finished changing, pack your things. Make sure you don't forget anything, because we're not coming back."

    

    Matari’s face turned pale at Edel’s words.

    "N-No way."

    "Yes way. Now that the moving procedures and the niceties are through, we're moving to our new base. It's time to say goodbye to this place."

    "You should've said that sooner! Come on, let's hurry up and go to the new house! I'll kick you out of here if you just stand there!"

    "You're already kicking us! Ah, my clothes are a mess!"

    "Just throw them away and get ready! You really are a pain in the ass, you big red sword!"

    "I’m pretty sure you were the one that brought it back! I'll get everything together, so don't just throw evverything together randomly!"

    The hero was stuffing everything she saw into a bag.

    "Ms. Hero, that is my underwear. There is no need to be in such a hurry, the house will not run away."

    "I'm not in a hurry! Even if we sort everything, it's all going to get separated again later anyway!"

    "Th-That is true. You just seem more excited than usual."

    Lulurile was dumbfounded, her glasses, her pride and joy, were slipping off.

    "...... You're like a child. I don’t know whether to be impressed or astonished."

    "Alright, I'm ready! I’ll go ahead first."

    "Already!? You're too fast! Wait a minute──"

    The hero took her luggage, opened the door, and ran outside, running as fast as she could, to be the first to the new house. However, after a while, she changed her mind and decided to wait in front of the Paradise Pavilion. It was a momentous day for her, for she would have a home of her own. So, for such an occasion, she thought it might feel better to experience it with her companions. That was all. A few minutes later, Matari and the others walked out carrying large bags of luggage. Seeing the hero waiting for them, Matari had a surprised look on her face, but it quickly changed to a smile. The embarrassed hero kicked Matari in the shin as hard as she could.

    

    Finally arriving at the house they were going to be living in, they looked at its exterior with deep emotion. Even though it was a new home, it didn't mean it was a new house. But despite this, the hero was still happy. She felt as if she finally had a place to call home, a place to return to. It was a simple thing, but she felt good, so it shouldn’t be a problem. She was happy to have a place to belong.

    "I'll go first. We'll be out here looking at this house for an hour. We've got some cleaning to do."

    "I-It's so heavy. What the heck is in this bag!?"

    "My make-up, magic tools, and make-up tools. Thanks for the help Matari."

    "Pardon me."

    While the hero was leisurely looking on, the others with big bags made their way into the house first. Unfortunately, the hero failed to win this race. And so, she hurriedly chased after them. She immediately tried to arrange the rooms, but Edel and Lulurile had already claimed their own room and laboratory respectively. As there was only one room left, they unanimously decided to use it as a storage room for their belongings. The bedroom upstairs was a shared bedroom, so the hero and Matari wouldn't have their own. But the hero didn't care about having her own room, so she had no complaints. Compared to their birdcage in the Paradise Pavilion, this was heaven. The living room was so spacious, maybe she should take control of it. In a way, it would be as if she got the biggest room in the house. Well, as for Matari, she could have the kitchen.

    Lying down on the sofa in the living room, the hero was staring at the ceiling. It made her feel very relaxed. And Matari, who was nearby, was carefully examining her surroundings, her eyes restlessly jumping around. She seemed to still be on the lookout for ghosts and such. The hero felt that something was definitely there, but she didn't sense any particular hostility, so she let it be. In other news, Edel and Lulurile had begun to move their personal belongings from their homes and dormitories. Edel had even brought her pink bed too. It seemed that they were planning to settle down here in earnest. So having no choice, the hero, with a broom and rag in hand, set to work cleaning.

    "They're a hectic bunch, aren't they? And they were the ones talking about cleaning. Come on, you help too!"

    "...... Isn't there something in this house? No, I'm sure there is!"

    "It's probably just a cockroach or something."

    "It's not a bug....... It's not something I can explain with words. Yeah, it's like some kind of ghost!"

    "...... A ghost?"

    The hero was about to give her input, but decided against it. She was too tired for this right now.

    "Yes, ghosts are the scariest things in this world. And they roam the streets at night, looking to make more companions! No, it might be a death god. Just the thought is horrifying. I have no idea how I'm supposed to fight an opponent my sword can't touch!"

    The hero has fought against non-corporeal opponents several times. If her sword didn't work, she could use her magic to kill them. But for Matari, that was impossible. In such situations, holy water and fire from a torch could prove effective against such opponents. But if you don't stay calm, it will be extremely difficult to fend them off. The hero was at a loss for how to react, but instead of making fun of her, she decided to say something out of character for her. She was just suffering from short-term confusion; this was how she justified her following words to herself.

    "...... Don't worry. If anything comes out, I'll protect you. You have my word, so stop worrying about it so much."

    ". . . . . . . . . . . . Eh?"

    "So, don't worry about it and keep your head up. I can't relax either when you're like that."

    "Ah, um, yes."

    Matari sat stunned with her mouth agape.

    Embarrassed, the hero turned away. And before her, Edel and Lulurile, who had conveniently arrived at the perfect time, were smiling warmly at her.

    "...... What a beautiful scene. Like straight out of a fairy tale."

    "I can't help but be moved. I wonder if I'm getting too old for this."

    "Yes. You definitely are old."

    "Hey, Lulu. I've been thinking, why don't you become one of my corpses? Some have said it's surprisingly pleasant."

    "I'll pass."

    The two began conveniently messing with each other, so, the hero discussed the matter to change the subject.

    "Ahh, the annoying couple has returned. I hope you brought some food!"

    "As you can see, we’ve brought all this. I asked the master to make some for us."

    "Indeed, there is a lot. We've also prepared a lot of drinks. Today is a housewarming party."

    "Alright, let's get started──"

    "H-Hey!"

    Just as the hero was about to stand, Matari shouted out.

    "I-I'll protect you too. But not just that, I’m also here to help you. Because I think that's what friends are for. If anything happens to you, I'll come to your rescue!"

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    Matari gazed at the hero with greater sincerity. Her stare was so intense that the hero was unable to look directly at her. She was not good with this sort of stuff.

    "So please, don't force yourself to do everything alone anymore. Seriously, please."

    "...... Don't get cocky, boar. You need to get stronger before you say things like that."

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    "But, well, I'll give it some thought. It if were just me, things might be problematic."

    "Yes!"

    Matari smiled with sincere happiness. 

 

    Following, Lulurile spoke her mind as well.

    "I feel the same way, Matari. I do not often speak like this, but I need you to hear what I feel in words."

    "Lulurile?"

    "I am eternally grateful to you. The only reason why I am alive today is because of you. If anything at all happens to you, I promise, I will come to your aid."

    "Well, I guess I'll bite. It doesn't matter if we got joined out of self-interest, or by complete happenstance. What matters is where we end up from here. I think the four of us make a pretty good team."

    "......  There's still light out, and you're saying all that embarrassing stuff with a straight face. You're not drunk, are you? Anyway, let's eat. I can't take any more of this embarrassing theatrics!"

    The hero snatched a bag from Lulurile and scavenged for food.

    "In such a situation, you should've said something thoughtful. But I guess that was too much to expect from you."

    "That's because we're all twisted in a way, and we’ve hardly any sex appeal at all. The only stories we have are all about food and gore."

    "Do you want sex appeal? Then I have something for you. Ms. Edel, please give this a try. With this, you will become a sexy woman instantaneously."

    Edel quickly stopped Lulurile from taking something out of her bag.

    "...... I'm already the embodiment of sex appeal itself, so that won't be necessary. Or rather, could you put away those shady-looking pills?"

    "That is a shame. Well, I will save them for the next opportunity."

    "Hey you two, now's not the time for chitchat. If we don't hurry, Hero's going to eat everything!"

    

    The other three sat down and started rummaging for food. Once alcohol was thrown in, the place gradually grew more and more lively. Though, it was not so much lively as it was senselessly noisy.

    

    ──Laughing, the hero thought to herself. A hero doesn't need friends. She has always been alone and has managed to survive to this day without anyone. But maybe, it was good sometimes. They might abandon her someday, but for now, they were enjoying life in their own way; and until that day came, things would stay the same. However, she did not know if her heart would be able to withstand it a second time.

 

-

     

    As night fell and the party ended, the girls finally went to bed. Everyone else seemed to have departed for the world of dreams, but the hero could not sleep. There was not the slightest bit of drowsiness in her eyes. Still in a good mood, the hero quietly stepped out to the balcony while careful not to make any noise. She felt that the cool air might calm her down. However, a previous customer was already there. In her pink nightgown, Edel was enjoying the night breeze with a glass of wine in hand.

    "...... Oh, you can't sleep either? That’s not good. Kids need to go to bed early."

    "I thought staying up late was bad for your skin."

    "It's fine. Today is special."

    The hero looked out over the city. Plenty of lights could be seen from the main boulevard, but the rest of the city was shrouded in darkness. Even the light of the stars was unable to illuminate those dark reaches. The cool night breeze passing through felt good on her burning body. It was apparent that she drank way too much today. She got a little too excited.

    "...... Hey, about earlier. Your conversation with Matari really touched me. I'm not teasing you. I mean it. I felt so jealous."

    "Noisy. That boar was scared, so I was just trying to cheer her up a little. 'Ghosts,' she's not a kid."

    "Ah, if only you were a man. I'm sure you'd have both your hands full with women by now. I'm sure I would've fallen in love with you by now. Let’s hate God for bringing us together in such a circumstance."

    Edel sighed deliberately.

    "That's none of your business."

    The hero replied.

 

    If the hero was a man, it might make things easier. Women have too much to worry about. She couldn't even get shirtless around others. Though, she never wanted to be a man. The only thing that mattered was being a hero; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to handle everything she has gone through.

    For a time, silence reigned, and after a few moments, Edel quietly opened her mouth.

    "...... Hey."

    "What?"

    "What would you do if I said I was continuing Russ' research? If in hiding, I've repeatedly conducted experiments that deviate from the path of what's right."

    Edel asked without looking at her.

    "I won't do anything now. But, if you diverge from the path of humanity and I judge you a demon, I will kill you. Demons have a rotten stench, so I'll know instantly."

    "I see."

    "Don't worry, I won't show you any mercy. By the way, you're still human now."

    "Thanks a lot. When that happens....... I'll hold you to your promise."

    Edel smiled gently.

    ". . . . . . . . . . . ."

    "Don't give me that look. I’m just kidding. Besides, there's no way I would take over his iniquitous research. Come on, too much of the night breeze is bad for you. Let's go to bed."

    Without waiting for her answer, Edel went back inside.

    The hero wondered what she would really do when the time came. Would she be able to kill her without feeling anything, or would she hesitate? The hero did not know. Rolling over in her bed she pondered for some time, but an answer never came to her. As she thought, she gradually grew more and more tired, and fell asleep.